Metroid: The Untold Story
by CoyoteWildfire
Summary: Ceres station is under attack! Bounty hunter Drake Starlight assists, finding himself biting off more than he could chew. Please read and review! Constructive criticism always welcome!
1. Chapter 1

Metroid

The Untold Story

Jadie Pearl

Dedicated to my loving godmother, Lorraine Mangiaracina.

_All this world needs for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing._

—Winston Churchill

_It was but a mere generation ago that we were a thriving species. Our kind were prosperous, scientific, and peaceful. Our exploration missions came to the peaceful co-inhabitance of other planets, exchanging scientific research and advancements with the native population. Our Alliance was powerful._

_A darkness however, sought to destroy all that we had become. The swarm of endless greed filled the hearts of a naïve people. Their insatiable thirst to have more wrought a bitter hatred for us and our comrades. Such darkness spread, and they made a strike against Human planet K-2L._

_Regrettably, all life was eradicated but a lone hatchling. We took her under our care, and raised her as our own. To survive the harsh elements of our home planet Zebes, we injected her with our DNA. Although only a few years old, the hatchling showed much promise and melded easily with our society._

_2003 Cosmic Calendar, our people made a motion to unite the coexisting species of the galaxy. The leaders of numerous planets we co-inhabited met together for the first time. Peaceful negotiations with the Elyisians, Humans, Luminoth, Reptilici and other species were formed in 2004 C.C. in a move to create a fair and safe universe for all cultures to prosper. So was the Galactic Federation established in hopes of pushing back the foreboding flood of the corrupt._

_We were sage: knowledge and wisdom beyond that of any age in our collective races' histories. Our grasp brought about an age of prosperity and wealth, garrisoning hibernated soldiers to underdeveloped planets for their protection. These warriors were unmatched in strength and stamina, while genetic enhancements further increased their abilities. It was in our blood._

_This new union brought about leaps in technology, like none other before. Studies of the hatchling's enhanced physical abilities established the grounds for a second test. Two young human scientists offered their unborn son to be subject for this experiment. As with the hatchling, this child was injected with our DNA. From inside the womb, his development progressed at an incredible pace._

_The hatchling's abilities at this time rivaled and even surpassed even our finest soldiers, further accelerating at puberty. These enhancements were amplified by the exoskeleton we constructed for her. Our military took her and trained her specially to further our legacy as protectors of the galaxy. So was our first step in the creation of super-soldiers._

_However…as the experiment progressed, both subjects did not develop similarly. The hatchling's blood received the innate power to quell our blood within her, using it to her own benefit; while the man-child seemed to have the dormant power to awaken the fire of our blood within him, rampaging uncontrollably. The older child, the ultimate keeper of peace, and the younger, the ultimate spark of war, we feared such weapons should be dealt with in the utmost care. The hatchling neared adulthood and joined the ranks of the Galactic Federation under Captain Malkovich. The prepubescent man-child however, was returned to his parents in hopes that he would not fall into the wrong hands._

_Such power attracted the minds of the corrupt. Their greed and insatiable appetite for power demanded the hatchling and the man-child. We stood noble and strong of heart. They were our responsibility and shame to us should misfortune befall one of them._

_Nevertheless, the darkness swept over us swiftly like a plague. We had hoped that the hatchling could repel them, but their preemptive strike against us was overwhelming. We ran out of time. Even her skill would not be able to stand up to them. This swarm was ruthless and cold-blooded, attacking us from deep within our own people under the guise of peace and science._

_We few that remain rest our hopes in the hatchling; that she will restore order to the galaxy. For us, it is too late. Their hordes will overtake us soon, and our race will cease to exist. May our legacy live on._

**CHAPTER 1**

With a few taps of his console, a young 19-year-old accepted a broadcast distress signal from a nearby space station.

"Ceres station!" his voice boomed, a hint of surprise giving it a crackle. A bounty hunter guilty of numerous murders, accepting a distress signal was out of his character. The station however was quite a nostalgia for him. "Their new security system they've been boasting about should have taken care of it." Touching a few buttons, he responded to the call. "Ceres Station, this is bounty hunter, Drake Starlight, what's your status?" The cold deadness of space and the excitement of a bounty opportunity were the replies.

A change of course—his computer beeping in acknowledgment—sent his ship toward the signal's origination. Within moments, he was inside the asteroid belt surrounding Ceres station. Drake suited up in his hunter equipment. A suit of mechanical armor, giving him decent defense from attack, as well as atmospheric purification and a blaster mounted on the right arm. It was also equipped with surveillance equipment to give readings on potential threats, movement, and sounds.

A blip appeared on radar; small, but moving fast on the same trajectory.

"I don't think so, this bounty is mine." Drake muttered, knowing well this was another hunter like himself. Ignoring it for the time being, the young man flew at top speed to Ceres' docking bay. On arrival, he was barely able to get his ship down, debris and wreckage everywhere. Drake placed his helmet over his head, the onboard Com system activating immediately and synchronizing with the computer on-ship. On the inside of his visor flashed different bits of information concerning his environment. By just looking at the octagonal cockpit door, it whirled open with a hissing and humming sound.

Drake stepped through, confronted by a room that could only bring a cringe to his face. Scorch marks from blaster fire stained the sides of the bay, but other forms of markings (more to the likeness of scratches or slashes) he had never seen before. Neither eyes nor sensors detected any lifesigns in the room. Further, there were no dead bodies, just the debris of mechanisms, engineering, and a battered door that were once part of the normal operation of the station. A sense of eeriness chilled him to the bone. Inhaling deeply, he made his way through the clutter to the door. Wires and cables draped from slices and burns in the metal. Heat emanated from blaster scorches: they were fresh. Drake hit the open button of the door's control panel. The door screeched and struggled to open but after a few moments of sick mechanical whirring and sparks, it finally did so. Drake's mouth dropped in disbelief, his breath completely sucked from his lungs.

"D…dead! They're all… dead!" Even a hardened bounty hunter could not go undaunted by the view of the bodies before him. Security guards, scientists, civilians—all were strewn about the room, some even hung from equipment on the ceiling as if thrown like a ragdoll. A deep crimson stained the floor, blood smeared over equipment, clothing and even the ventilation ducts in the ceiling. Continuing through the room, one single question immerged from the back of his mind: _Are there any survivors?_

A dark pathway before him crackled and illuminated from severed electrical lines. A grotesque silhouetted figure, hunched, moved swiftly deeper into the station. Drake's eyes widened, the danger indicator on the left of his visor rising sharply. With a deep breath, the young man tried to shake the feeling of doom besetting him. Slowly, he pursued the figure at a distance, keeping a close eye on its shadow. The assailant began to move faster; Drake followed suit, trying to keep himself as unknown as possible. In a matter of moments, the figure stopped suddenly and looked back behind it. Drake dove for a patch of shadow, crouching there. Heartbeat quickening in anticipation, he tried to steady his breathing.

_Is it on to me?_ He wondered, fixated on the bony body. However, as fast as it had stopped, the shadow was gone, giving off a shrill screeching, chirping as it left. No sign of movement or presence of the foe on radar. It was gone. Since the lab was not too far from his position, this attacker must be after the scientific information there, Drake assumed. Rising to his feet, the hunter proceeded further down the corridor, ever alert to an ambush.

It was quiet. Even the crackles of electricity had stopped and the gentle pattering of his footsteps seemed drowned in his breathlessness. A thin fog formed on the inside of his visor from the heated exhalation. Whirring, like the sound of a fan, echoed through the hallway, getting progressively louder. In minor paranoia, Drake glanced over his shoulder and then back to the direction in which he was walking.

"There! The shadow!" he exclaimed, watching it bounce from side to side, as if jumping off the walls. "I've got you this time…" Drake bolted after it, but yet the faster he pursued, the further the figure got. Once more however, the figure stopped. It chirped again, and this time it was far more hostile. Drake's danger meter rose higher and higher, the shadow turning completely around. No sooner had Drake readied himself for a confrontation, everything went black. Drake was enshrouded by complete darkness, all power from Ceres station gone and all background noise ceased. The danger meter even dropped to a null, radar blank.

Footsteps tapped through the hallway, closer and closer. Drake's blood ran cold—the light amplification systems in his suit couldn't help him in no-light situations. Louder… He held his breath and his heart raced almost enough to pound out of his chest. Louder… A chill ran through his spine. Louder…

Silence. Everything stopped. No footsteps and no way to see what was in front of him. Drake felt sweat drip in rivers down his face, the tips of his fingers and toes cold. In a pitiful effort to calm himself, racked with expectation and dread, he closed his eyes and took a slow, deep breath. Upon opening his eyes, his danger meter skyrocketed.

There it was, right in front of him, two fiery eyes gleaming at his. Drake tried to reach for the weapon control panel on his right arm, but to no avail. The piercing gaze had him paralyzed; all he could do was stare right back. The two stood there, time seemingly stopped, eyes locked with the other's.

For some reason, the beast from which the eyes belonged did not attack. What felt like an eternity to Drake may have been just a score of seconds, but some time passed and the beast's eyes were averted. It gazed past him, back down the hallway from where the two had just been as if startled and like that, the eyes were gone. No footsteps or any sound of movement—just gone.

Drake exhaled deeply, feeling overwhelming relief. His respite was not long-lived, however. Chirping from that beast echoed down the path again, followed by numerous shrieks of horror.

"Survivors!" Ceres station's backup power came on, and a dim red glow illuminated the hallway. Drake gave chase once more, hearing screams of terrified people. As he neared the lab, Drake heard a familiar voice cry for help.

"No! Get away from me! Somebody help! Please!"

"Get away from her!" another voice called. Drake knew both voices well.

_It can't be…_ rang through his head like a gong in a glass room. Drake slammed the button on the terminal to open the door, but there was no response. He pushed it again rapidly in desperation. The door remained inexorable. Shrieks continued from inside the room. Frustrated, Drake shoved himself forward, jamming his shoulder into the door and denting it. A few more tries caused it to crack, but it still would not open. He slammed his fist against the door, returned by cry of pain and two heavy thumps against it from the other side. From then, it was quiet once more.

"Please no…" Drake uttered, fearing the worst.

Taking a few steps back, he placed his hand on the gun controls of his right arm. Aiming at the door, yellow light shone from the barrel of the weapon. A meter on the gun slowly climbed, displaying the charge of the energy inside. The warmth of the weapon heated his hands slightly. Charged, the meter flashed, beeping rapidly. With just the touch of a button, a blast of yellow energy shot forward from Drake's arm, splashing against the door. As the light dissipated, so did the entrance—vaporized.

The hunter entered the laboratory. There he found two bodies, mangled and torn, and in the center of the room was a large containment tube, shattered through the middle and dripping red. Drake prayed his fear had not come true, but there seemed little hope now. Stooping near the carcasses, he could barely even tell the bodies were human. Bones shattered and skin torn beyond recognition, it was a sight that almost made him gag. Among the bloody mess were the identification cards of the two bodies, smeared crimson. Drake wiped down the cards and gazed at the facial profiles of the two. His last shred of hope was cast to the wind, tears welling up in his eyes: "Yvonne Starlight" and "Henry Starlight". Falling to his knees, the only words his voice could manage were "Mom… Dad…" Helplessness overcame him as he pulled his helmet from his head. All he could do was stare in disbelief, a tear glistening down his face.

Through the blur of the moisture in his eyes, images flashed before him of an argument he'd had with his parents just a month earlier.

"It's always about you and your stupid science projects, isn't it? You've always got to have it your way. Everything _must_ be science! That's the way you see it, don't you!?" Drake yelled, angry and bitter.

"Drake, we only want what is best for you. If you keep exploring, we'll barely ever see you. You're our only child, come back home with us." Yvonne replied tenderly.

"Your mother is right, Drake. We barely see you and miss you dearly. You're getting in with the wrong crowd and going off doing who-knows-what. Can't you see? You're very special. Meant for so much more than that. You must not… no, you will not go!" Henry added authoritatively.

"Hah! Special?" Drake scoffed. "If you missed me so much, _dad_, you would have spent time with me while I was still here instead of working all the time."

"Well if _you _would get yourself a _real _job, maybe you would understand!"

"You science fanatics are cooped up all day! You call that a job!? Get a life."

"Honey, we do have lives. We're safe here and the sentient security system they're installing will give us more freedom than ever. You may like it here." persuaded Yvonne.

"Tch, the moment I move in, you're going to try to get me into science again. It's not the life for me."

"Son, you're barely nineteen, how could _you_ know what life is or isn't for you?" Henry spoke, increasing sharpness in his tone.

"Well, that's _not your decision_ to make, Henry!" Drake returned, raising his voice further.

"I am your _father._ You will address me as such!"

"And I am a _man. _You will treat me as one!"

"Then _act _like one, Drake!" Henry yelled, aiming a sharp finger at his son, face twisted with rage. Drake took a deep breath and spoke low and demeaning.

"Where do _you_ find the _gall _to accuse me of not being a man, just because I don't wish to follow in your _misguided _footsteps? I _hate_ this place, I _hate_ science, I _hate_ research, and most of all, I hate_ you_."

Mr. and Mrs. Starlight were both completely taken aback but at the same time deeply hurt. The contortion of Henry's face turned from anger to a vulnerable expression. All the tension and anger fell apart, leaving a cold, rejecting silence in their midst.

Drake saw the pain in his parents' eyes, knowing well the damage he'd done. He turned away, unable to face up to the hurtful things he'd just said, and left his parents without another word. His mind was made up and such a confrontation as this only served as another excuse to leave.

Drake had lived on Ceres for quite some time before he left for space. His parents were transferred there by the Galactic Federation when they were assigned to be the head scientists of the "Metroid" project. The project dealt with the research and study of a mysterious being named Metroid, the first specimen of which was encountered on planet Zebes. Ancient records and folklore spoke of these jellyfish-like creatures having an awesome power. If there were a way to tap into that power, many of mankind's problems could be solved. However, Drake found such ideas to be farfetched and idealistic. He was unlike his parents, despising anything to do with science or research and the like. He wanted more. Drake wanted to explore the vastness of space. But now, not even space could mend the sorrow and remorse tearing him to the depths of his heart.

"They're gone… I never got to say goodbye. If I had stayed… I could have saved them. I could have prevented this, but that beast… that monster… it took them from me." Drake rose from his feet, his hurt turning to anger, and his anger to hatred. "I vow… I will kill the one who did this!"

In a futile attempt to grasp what was left of a hand of the maimed corpse, Drake lifted some of the mess before him. In the blood, flesh and bone, were the last tattered papers of his parents' work. Looking at it, "Project C" stood out, but little of the content was discernable. It felt familiar, and so did the whole station. His heart ached for this place to return to normal. To go back to the way things once were.

Replacing his helmet on his head, the danger sensor on his visor was climbing and a blip moved fast on his motion detector. Sounds of blaster fire shot through the hallway. Putting his emotions aside for the time-being, Drake ran for the sound. Halfway down came screeching and chirping from that wretched animal then more blaster fire.

"More survivors!" He spoke, eyes lighting up. The further he went down the hallway, the longer the confrontation lasted. _No screams for help?_ He wondered, finding it puzzling that a civilian could hold its own against the fiend.

Nearing his old dorm room, the noise grew louder. They were in there, who or whatever they were. He clenched his teeth, determined. That beast's blood would be spilt, or he would die trying. His heart began to race again, the sounds of the battle inside making his adrenaline rush. Taking a deep breath, he touched his fingers against the open button, not depressing it yet. A moment of apprehension passed and then another sound shrieked through the hallway. Emergency lights reading "Self-Destruct" flashed in warning.

"What the hell!? The self-destruct sequence?"

The alarm blared loudly. Drake didn't have the time to confront the beast now. Frustrated, he sped off for the docking bay. The passing sight of the dead bodies and blood in the main atrium made his skin scrawl, but nothing could be done for them now. Making it to his ship in good time, he fired up his engines and blazed out of there. It wasn't long before the station he knew so well was an exploding, smoldering ball of fire and debris.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

Drake thought back on his younger days, a bittersweet longing in his heart to relive those times once more. Though pained at his loss, a chuckle came from his lips. His foolishness and brashness was not quite as evident to him then as it was now.

"I've got it!" a young blonde-headed boy called to his friend as he leapt for a long pass. With a crash, the child landed atop a table with beakers and science equipment.

"Great catch, Drake!" a stout red-head complied. Drake got up and brushed himself off, soon noticing a wet spot on the back of his pants and worse, the crushed equipment and vials of chemicals.

"Aw man…" He muttered. "My parents are gonna kill me if they find out about this! Quick, Nate, grab some cloths!" Nathan Cambridge quickly obeyed and rushed to the doorway, where he was stopped abruptly by none other than Henry Starlight, arms at his hips. "Hurry! We gotta clean this up before—"

"Before _what_, Drake?" Henry's voice called, eyeing the mess in the room.

"Uh oh…" Drake moaned, turning around stiffly to the piercing glare of his father.

"Drake, this is a _lab_, how many times have we told you not to play in here?!" Henry scolded sharply.

"But I—"

"No 'buts,' Drake! Don't you understand!? You've just set our research back by three months!" Nathan then zipped out of the room, under a sharp glare from Mr. Starlight.

"I… I… I'm sorry daddy. I didn't mean it, honest." Drake replied guiltily.

"Oh Drake… you know you did something you shouldn't have, didn't you?" Henry asked softly, relinquished of anger.

"Yes, daddy…" Drake looked down, ashamed.

"And when you do things you shouldn't, you need to be punished, right?"

"Yeah…"

"Ok, then. Go to your room until dinner is ready."

"Ok daddy…" the saddened boy responded as he trudged to his room. Drake slumped onto his bed and laid there. Soon after, his mother came up to visit and took a seat next to him.

"Playing in the lab again?" Yvonne spoke with compassion. "You know that the lab is off-limits."

"Yeah… I won't go in there anymore."

"That's my good boy." Yvonne smiled and hugged Drake tightly. Her brown hair draped over him, making his nose itch.

"Mom, I'm gonna sneeze." She let go and patted him on the leg.

"C'mon, dinner is ready." Her brown eyes looked to the doorway. Drake arose and followed his mother out of the room.

Drake missed his home. He missed his family. Even his dreams of adventure and wealth held no solace for him anymore.

"I was always the trouble-maker… it's a wonder that my parents even bothered with me like they did." Drake spoke to himself. He looked down at a monitor which was fixed on where Ceres was just minutes earlier. All that was left of his home, his friends, and his family was debris. The vastness of space was no longer a thing of wonder and opportunity, but a cold, desolate void of which there was no compassion. For once in his life, he felt alone. So utterly alone.

His thoughts haunted him. His past, and the decisions he made became clearly errant. His attitude, the way he'd treated others, the lives he'd taken… all in the name of adventure and exploration were nothing but a child's wayward dream. Ceres was gone. The thrill of his drive for freedom but yet the security of knowing he had a place to return home to were no longer a commodity, the very foundation of his reasoning crumbled beneath him.

He imagined how it would have been had he not left. The difference he could have made, if he had just done what his parents had told him. If he had just stayed with scientific research, how he could've saved them. Tears streamed down Drake's face. He pulled his helmet from his head and sobbed into his hands. His heart ached hopelessly, never getting a chance to even say goodbye.

As disappointment would have it, Drake's mourning was not long-lived. A rapid beeping alarm sounded from his console, forcing him to break from the cry. Vision blurred from the tears, he rubbed his eyes, a flashing red dot on his radar moving for his ship at a speed he'd never seen before. Drake braced for impact, having little time to react nor an emotionally-stable mind to react with. With each split second, the alarm sounded faster and faster of the impending danger.

In just seconds, a winged creature blazed past his ship. A near miss. Drake breathed a sigh of relief, tapping the controls speedily for any information on the animal.

"Searching… searching… searching…" the computer displayed as it looked for information that matched the creature's shape and size. "Data found!"

"Finally!" Drake exclaimed, "What does it say…? 'Ridley: a more evolved version of the pterodactyl. Ridleys have been extinct for over a year, the last Ridley killed when bounty hunter, Samus Aran, foiled the plots of the Mother Brain and the Space Pirates on planet Zebes a year and a half ago. However, some speculation has it that Ridley was reconstructed by the Space Pirates, to confront Aran again on Tallon IV. Some other accounts state another encounter with Ridley utilizing Phazon radiation. Such sources are unreliable and mere speculation.'"

Drake stroked his chin.

"Extinct. I wonder what the database says about these Space Pirates…"

After a few moments, biological information on these pirates filled the display panel.

"Space Pirate: a half-mechanized, half organic, sentient bioform given to the form of a praying mantis. Standing about five feet in height, this species is highly intelligent with technology surpassing our own. The Space Pirate species were given their name by the extinct Chozo race because of the Pirates' pillaging and enslaving tendencies. The Pirates relied on Ridley as their leader for raid missions to plunder space colonies. Based on current data, it is most likely he who destroyed Ceres."

"Rid…ley…" he half whispered, the word 'Chozo' giving him a distinct nauseous feeling. Flashes of his encounter on Ceres flooded his mind's eye. "But… how…? If Samus exterminated the last Ridley, what could that have been? I guess Zebes would be the first place to look. Computer, search for the location of planet Zebes!"

"Searching… planet found. Planet Zebes: Class: XIX. Mass: 4.8 trillion teratons. Profile: Fourth planet in its solar system. Zebes is a toxic planet with an atmosphere uninhabitable by most bioforms. Zebes is noted for its extreme heat in underground caverns as well as an overabundance of ascorbic acid. The crust is composed of primary Urthic ore, which allows for good conditions for subterranean excavation and construction. Many Space Pirates inhabit this planet. Caution is advised. Estimated time of arrival: one hour. Do you wish to continue?" The computer flashed as Drake read the information.

"Yes, set a course for Zebes now."

The engines whirred and hummed as the ship tilted to the trajectory of its destination. As Drake's ship readied itself for hyperspace, another ship zipped past him with a similar flight path. It was the ship that he had seen before, as he was on his way to Ceres—a bounty hunter. Drake's ship made the jump into hyperspace, not far behind.

Stars blurred in streaks across the windows of his ship cockpit. Drake gazed at them, detaching himself from reality for a few moments of self-consolation. In this time of solitude, he found purpose. He found himself reevaluating his motives and goals. His first step: vengeance. Vengeance not just for his family and Ceres station, but for the entire universe, as if it were his destiny. For the first time in his life, his reason for living was for someone other than himself. He was determined to be better. No longer would murderers like the Space Pirates terrorize the innocent and defenseless. There would be punishment for wrongdoing. There would be justice.

"Entering planetary atmosphere, please make sure protective apparatus is secure so the ship may depressurize." the computer cautioned Drake. He left his train of thought and replaced his helmet over his head, locking it into place.

"Done! Computer, depressurize the ship."

"Commencing depressurization..." the computer stated as the ship hissed for a moment. "Depressurization complete, you may now leave the ship."

Drake took his first step onto the dry, sandy soil of Zebes. His eyes skimmed over the panorama. A yellow haze clouded the sky above, a gentle rumbling emanating from it. A flash of lightning caught Drake's eyes, soon followed by a stiff gale and a thunderous crash. Visibility was low, but of what he could see, there was barely any vegetation whatsoever, apart from a lichen or two on nearby rock faces.

"Seems pretty uninhabitable… No wonder Ridley went extinct." He spoke to himself, tapping the side of his helmet for a radar display. Immediately, a blip appeared; the other bounty hunter's ship was landed nearby. A good lead, this ship was his first step toward vengeance.

Drake relied mainly on his radar as the smog only allowed him to see but a few yards in front of him. The ship was a yellow, Galactic Federation spaceship, slightly modified. Based on the markings on the hull, this ship had seen its share of battles. Drake couldn't help but be curious as to whose ship would be better in a dogfight, but his musings were distracted by a string of footprints in the grainy soil, leading away. Upon closer examination, there was no doubt, they were the bounty hunter's and he was here for a purpose.

Drake's determination kept him hot on the trail of the prints, his eyes fixed intently on them. He would not allow this bounty hunter to steal away his only chance to avenge the death of his loved ones. The steps didn't go far until a dark cavern towered before Drake, continuing inside. Despite a moment of discomfort at the sight of the cave, the young hunter pressed on, further and further in. The ambient sounds of rolling thunder and wind waned with each step. This cave seemed endless, so much so that light became incredibly dim. Drake switched on the light amplification on his visor, a brighter, green-tinted field of vision displayed before him. Prints still leading him forward, he wondered if he'd see the end of this.

Not much further, a dark hole came into view. By the look of it, the footsteps went directly to it. As Drake neared, the footprints stopped right at the edge of the hole. Either the other hunter had suffered an unlikely death at the hand of a pitfall, or there was more to this planet than first had met the eye. With a shiver of uncertainty and a deep breath, he leapt for the hole.

The landing was short and soft, a whole new ecosystem set before him. The subterranean atmosphere bore a high acid level, but yet there were colorful mosses and wildlife prolific in this environment. Drake couldn't help but gawk slightly at the contrast of his fertile underground surroundings, compared to the desolation up above.

On his visor, Drake's helmet computer assessed the area and displayed information. Little excerpts from encyclopedias and information databases streamed opaquely across his field of view. "Crateria" was the name of this first subterranean level of Zebes, based from ruins of ancient civilizations and habitats hundreds of years back.

"A little piece of this planet's history held intact right before my very eyes. Astounding…" the hunter spoke to himself, a healthy awe in his tone. The sight was a little overwhelming yet inspirational to him.

As his eyes skimmed over the foreground, a line of footprints caught his eye, leading toward a ledge. Drake neared it; the ledge was steep and a little intimidating at first sight but it wasn't long before Drake was working his way downward. Rock climbing wasn't really something he had had to practice in his bounty hunting, but why let a small bit of unease keep him from goal?

A matter of moments and he was on the trail once more. Underground caverns and pathways passed him by as the prints led him on. Light was dim, but to Drake's surprise, some vegetation and wildlife gave a soft glow, just enough for his light amplification systems to give him the visibility he needed.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

As he pressed on, the atmosphere around him grew steadily warmer. "Brinstar" read on the information pane of his helmet, a mini map and corresponding geographical figures following thereafter. By the look of it, subterranean magma tunnels and heated acid pools gave this place its warmth, no real threat to the advanced armor of his hunter suit. However, a threat of a more innocuous type offended Drake's nose.

"Just what is that _smell…_" He grimaced. Even the air filtration systems of his helmet weren't touching this one and there were no signs of sulfur in the soil or air around him. The stench seemed to come from where the steps led—something was wrong and Drake was about to find out what.

Only a handful of steps more laid a creature crumpled over. No, it wasn't crumpled over; it was a _crumbled_ over. Drake's vision blurred and his heart skipped at the stone body before him. A tugging feeling and a tightness of the throat assailed him. Thumping immerged from his heart to his head, soft noises sounding like through a long hallway. Faint hushing, whispering. Gazing at the image of the beast made him sick. It wasn't the smell or even the decapitated figure of stone before him. Instead it was something about the creature's bird-like head, extended arms and long legs that made him feel bare. It was a feeling of disturbing nostalgia.

Another sound distracted him from the eerie sight and at the turn of a bend in the path before him, the looks of organic material were splattered against the wall. Nearing it, more came into view: fresh. This wasn't just organic material, these were remains. Alien blood and gruesomely dismembered figures coated the floor, nothing like the first beast he had seen. A faint life sign showed on his personal radar, and as he neared, the computer displayed its biological blueprints: a hunched spinal alignment, protruding maxillary and mandible, long slender forearms with jagged edges, a pliable and resilient green skin.

"Space Pirate. Single blaster wound to the thoracic cavity. It is highly probable that injury is fatal, chance of survival 0.03. Estimated time until death: two hours and twenty three minutes."

The creature looked up at Drake weakly, an indiscernible expression on its face which he presumed to be one of pain. Its large jaws opened and intermittent squeaks and chirps came from it, sounds that the computer could not translate as intelligible speech. As he gazed at the beast, Drake couldn't help but see a glimpse of his dad's face, dying. Another second and his mother's face followed. Emotion choked his breathing but he remained composed, administering the coup de grâce shortly thereafter.

Averting his eyes from the remains, a gentle brightness radiated a little further down. The light grew increasingly brighter with each step he took, enough to make Drake squint his eyes. A tap of the panel on his helmet disabled the light amplification. The glow was blue, coming from a converged bubble against a wall.

"Class-A force field. A minor burst of energy will trigger the field to dissolve temporarily." Information read.

Drake stroked his chin. He had used his blaster to destroy doorways before, but never had he actually used it like a key. Lifting his arm and touching a button on his hand-mounted blaster, a small ball flashed forward and splashed against the blue field. From the area of contact, the glow faded, leaving an open doorway before him. Sure enough, the trail of footprints continued through.

Growingly anxious, wonderment of the hunter filled his head as he followed the steps. Would he be friendly or attack Drake on sight? Would young Starlight's plan for vengeance contradict the other hunter's intentions? Just how skilled was he, having the capability of taking on a troupe of those Space Pirates and living to tell the tale. Drake was surprised that a man of such legendary skill wasn't better noted in the media. Maybe he was a fugitive or a transgressor like Drake and wanted to keep a low profile. Or maybe this hunter really wasn't a hunter at all and it was all a diversion to trap Drake and finish off the Starlight line, so no more studies could be done on the Metroid species.

A quickening of the pace of his heart from his inward conversation and another step, another force field presented itself. Upon nearing it, the danger display climbed slowly, grabbing the attention of his eyesight immediately. He breathed deep to relieve himself of tension, watching his display for any tactical information he could use. Ready for a confrontation Drake opened the doorway as he had the previous one.

The room before him was huge. The ceiling escalated to forty, maybe fifty feet and going back further than the current light would allow him to see. The danger gauge however was still rising, yet there was no sign of danger whatsoever.

"Computer, give me any information you have on this room."

"Searching… Zebes, sub-area Brinstar. A Kraid dwelling, inhabited by a beast of great size. Kraid prefer underground homes, in areas that are warm. Though a fairly non-hostile species, Kraid will attack without provocation if its abode is disturbed. Caution is advised."

Again, he enabled the light amplification, nodding to himself in recognition of the computer's warning. The view pane lit up and there was a figure standing there. Not Kraid, as Drake had half expected, but the hunter donned in a suit, the likes of which he'd never seen. The hunter stood still, facing away from Drake, utter blackness in the background. Drake's heart skipped a beat, swallowing heavily to remoisten his dry throat. Then a semi-distant growl ensued—an immense growl, causing the floor to rumble beneath his feet. The growl grew to a roar and the roar to a howl.

A loud crash echoed through the room, followed by another, and another, getting faster in progression. Drake gazed at the hunter before him who was standing undaunted. His own eyes however, darted around the panorama with unease. Another growl caught his attention and a grotesque monster stormed from the blackness, stopping shortly before the other hunter.

The beast was huge! Even more immense than its size was its repulsiveness. Fat and akin to a dinosaur, the beast had spikes and bones protruding through the skin of its stomach and back. Three eyes from its skull gleamed down at the other hunter, saliva dripping from its malformed jaws. Scaly skin hung from its body as if it were molting, yet fully attached and alive. From different areas of its surface was the oozing and dripping of bodily fluid. The computer provided Drake with information on it.

"A Kraid, mutated greatly in the facial and rib bone structure. Lesions on the skin would lend to the possibility that these mutations were caused by acidic poisoning from its food supply and environment."

The Kraid leaned forward slightly toward the hunter before it, a drastic size difference between the two. Monster towering over him, the hunter returned the glare and readied himself. Drake took a step back to watch. This was his chance to assess what he would truly be up against, whether it be hunter or beast.

The dinosaur shot its arm forward, the limb stretching beyond normal limits and bones crackling from inside it. Bounty hunter leapt to the side, dodging the attack nimbly and then evading another one with little effort. He fired in return with a dash sideward. A retaliatory swing of Kraid's arm however, caught up the hunter in its twisted grasp, bringing him up to its eye level. An irritated rumble immerged from its throat, fingers squeezing the hold tighter.

Lifting his gun arm, the immobile hunter's weapon glowed yellow, then to orange. Kraid seemingly captivated by the glow, another second's pass and the light discharged from the weapon, bursting forward. The strike landed square on its leftmost eye, completely engulfing it in a blaze.

Releasing the hunter, Kraid shrieked in horrible pain, bringing its misshapen arms to its face. The bounty hunter landed firmly on his feet, unworried by the towering colossus before him. Two enraged arms flailed at him, crunching sickly as they moved. A few more shots from his blaster returned the hostile gesture.

Into a bolt of speed, the hunter blazed laps around the Kraid so fast that the motion was just a blur at its feet. Shot after shot was squeezed off in the cyclone dash, bewildering the beast and frustrating it further, not to mention the sting it left with each burning contact to its oozing wounds. The Kraid howled, shaking the cavern wildly. Dust and rock debris dropped from the ceiling, some of which was large enough to crush a man flat.

Drake's eyes stayed fixed on the battle before him, yet keeping a constant vigil to his own safety. Though the hunter skillfully executed attacks and fired his shots with deadly precision, the hulking brute showed no intention of backing down. Just the sight before young Starlight made his adrenaline rush, the thrill of a good battle relinquishing the fear of uncertainty and charging him for combat. This was his chance to prove himself, not just to the other bounty hunter but to himself. This was his time to show that his wayward dream of exploration would not go in vain.

A leap toward the fight, he took aim with his blaster, catching the other bounty hunter's attention. The hunter faced Drake, dash slowing to a halt.

"Stay out of this!" he ordered, little warmth in the voice.

A minor distraction was just what Kraid needed. Drake's decision was thoughtless as the beast lifted its foot, slamming it upon the hunter and crushing him into the ground. It ground its foot across the floor, dragging the hunter with it.

Despite the other hunter's command and odds against him, Drake wouldn't let another die at his expense. He clenched his teeth and held his weapon up at the beast. Charge meter rising, light and heat swelled from his gun. A well-placed shot tore forward, splashing against a lesion on the Kraid's ankle. Another shriek rang through the room as the beast leapt back from the burning pain, concealing itself in the darkness. Momentary safety, Drake ran for the other hunter.

The hunter rose to his feet with ease, seemingly untouched by the crushing blow that was dealt him just moments before. A minor shake and stretch and the hunter readied to square off again with the foe. Drake neared, determined to fight along the hunter's side but instead of a warm, appreciative welcome, a metal object was placed against the side of Drake's helmet. He turned his head, confronted by a charging blaster pointed directly at his face.

"I _told _you to stay _out _of this!" The hunter glared at him through the visor on his helmet. The two locked eyes momentarily, then Drake's eyes turned back to the glowing mass in the barrel before him. As the charge of the shot grew stronger, he found himself calm. No longer focused on his impending death, his eyes wandered again to the other hunter's. Something about them caught Drake's interest. They weren't like his own, those eyes. They were… entrancing. Could it be this hunter's prowess that had stopped him from defending himself?

No… it was something else.

A quickening of the heart.

A shallow breath.

A twist of the stomach.

"I—" But before Drake could manage another word, the silence was shattered by the flight of a fleshy spike past him. Both hunters' heads turned to the side, the confrontation between the two to be settled another time. Another spike zipped by from the darkness, then another.

"Get down!" the hunter commanded Drake, desperation in his tone. Without a further thought, the two dropped to the floor, and not a moment too soon. A torrent of spikes and barbs tore through the darkness, shot past their heads and perforated the wall behind them.

Rumbling ensued from Kraid, the beast then emerging from its veil and coming into full view. Its misshapen figure was even more deformed than before with tears and holes in its abdomen. From each laceration and puncture oozed a bubbly serum onto the ground of the cavern.

The danger meter rose slightly. A brief chemical readout of the liquid scrolled on Starlight's view pane. Acid.

"Wh… what the hell? How can this thing even be alive!?"

"Stupid! This isn't like target practice against Shriekbats at the academy. This _thing _is a mutant. Physics don't apply." scolded the hunter.

"Believe me, I noticed…" he spoke, gazing at Kraid. Not only was acid dripping from the wounds, its skin was throbbing. Pulsating it seemed, and with each pulsation came an object more and more into view. A spike, bony and sharp, pressed itself forward as a splinter working its way out of swollen skin. The sphincter-like hole tightened and projected the needle outward like a bullet with aim toward the hunter. With great precision, however, the hunter raised his gun arm and vaporized it out of the air, calm and collected as ever. _Sure is cocky… _Drake thought.

Kraid took a step toward the hunter, for some reason less aggressively. Staring into the hunter's eyes, the beast moved no further. Loud exhalation became noticeable throughout the room and what could barely be called Kraid's chest expanded and contracted rapidly. It was out of breath—tired. How ever it produced those needles from its abdomen, Drake didn't care to understand. The thought in and of itself put a nauseous shiver down his back. This he did know: Kraid was weak and this was their chance.

He lifted his arm toward his foe, squeezing his palm to increase the charge of the energy of the on-hand weapon. Targeting one of the flaws in its abdomen skin, Drake swallowed.

"Die."

Releasing his grip, the energy discharged forward and landing right on target. A direct hit burning an even greater hole in the pelt. Visceral organs leaked forward from the wound, squirming and writhing in an unappetizing fashion. Kraid however, showed no reaction. It just sat there.

The other hunter made his move: a dash for the beast and a charging blaster to confront him. A large shot splattered against it and then a series of smaller shots assailed different parts of its body. Yet, it remained there.

It wasn't just sitting there lazily. It had a purpose, biding its time. As the hunter neared, its slimy intestines stretched forward with the speed of a snapped rubber band, entangling him in it. The hunter gasped, trying desperately to pull away from the snatching mess. They twisted and squeezed sickly around the armor so fast that the hunter didn't even get a chance to fire.

Drake couldn't believe his eyes. This was just some sick dream. Something he would wake up from and he'd be home on Ceres.

_Ceres…_

No, this was no dream. This was reality. A cold truth that was now confronting him and this was his time for action. He swore vengeance; there was no turning back now. With gritted teeth, the charge meter on his gun rose. Higher and higher the meter climbed, from green, to yellow, to orange. A caution display flashed on his screen.

"Warning. Energy exceeding recommended levels, please discharge now."

Orange. From orange to red, Drake was determined to do this right. The heat from his weapon singed his hand as it took aim. A stream of glowing-white energy sprung from the weapon, knocking him clean off his feet. He watched, the stream contacting the sick organs of the freak, splashing against it and engulfing it.

Smoke permeated the room, pluming around him and lit aglow from his attack. The smoke was thick enough to choke a human. Surely Kraid couldn't have made it through an attack like that, but yet there was no cry of pain. There was no crash or thump of a dead body, and as visibility increased so did disappointment. Kraid was still alive. The blast had freed the other hunter, but left the rest of the body intact.

Failure.

Then blank.

Nothing displayed on his visor and the true weight of the suit hung down on him. Drake's generator was shot and his power cells discharged. He collapsed to the floor, unable to move and stinging with the agony of defeat. Though Kraid was not his final target, to fail at his first try was discouraging at best.

"I guess I didn't realize what I was getting into… There's nothing I can do now."

Deep breaths, Drake closed his eyes.

"I give up…"

Dull sounds of blaster fire and Kraid's roars reached his ears, but he just let himself drown away in breathlessness.

_Breath…_

A pant.

_Life…_

A swallow.

_I'm alive._

Though realistically, he could do nothing in battle, Drake was not dead. Unlike his loved ones, he could still go on. He could still set right this mess.

Opening his eyes, he pushed up against the floor. As his suit was drained of power, it couldn't support its own weight and made it quite cumbersome. Slowly, with a deep breath and a grunt, Drake rose to his knees. His eyes thinned.

Both hunter and monster at odds, Kraid was showing serious signs of fatigue and pain. Frustrated more and more by each attack that the hunter dodged or countered, it growled and became more thoughtless in its actions. It flailed its limbs at the hunter, each swipe precisely dodged in response, but with little counterattack. Was the hunter toying with the beast?

The bones in Kraid's arms crackled and snapped and then shot forward at the hunter. As with the other attacks, so was this one evaded flawlessly; lodging the pointed bones into the floor. It pulled back, trying to free its arms that it had dug into the ground, but the mistake was fatal. The hunter scaled the arms like a ramp. Pointing his gun at Kraid's face, everything seemed to slow down. Beast motionless, the plating on the hunter's weapon slid and rotated. From it immerged a high-velocity projectile: a missile. Unlike the energy weaponry which burned and vaporized, this collided with Kraid's face and exploded.

The blow was decisive and final. Kraid was dead. A hole blown clear through its ugly maw, its carcass slumped to the floor. The hunter seemed barely scathed and though Drake hadn't executed the final strike, he took a small bit of pride in the part he played in the battle.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

The hunter casually passed Drake.

"Great job! That was impressive!" he said.

The hunter kept walking.

"Hey! Did you hear me? I said you did a good job."

The hunter stopped.

"I know."

Then continued. Drake became frustrated, as his immobile condition was more than apparent. There was no reason for his performance to be sloughed off as if he did nothing.

"Well uh… My generator's shot and I need to get to a charging station. If you know where one is, would you get me there?"

"No."

"No!? What kind of thanks is that for saving you!?" Drake's tone turned harsh.

"Saving me!?" The hunter turned around and laughed. "What a joke! I could have attacked from Kraid's insides, ending the battle all the sooner. Your heroics were pointless."

"P-pointless?" Drake choked.

"I told you to stay out of it. I didn't need your help and more importantly, I don't want it. I have better things to take care of."

"Look, I don't give a damn about how important your mission may be. My family was murdered on Ceres!"

"Ceres……?" The hunter's voice softened.

"I know you were there, so don't play dumb with me, you ungrateful b—"

"Ceres." The hunter repeated.

"Don't cut me off! That's exactly what I said."

The hunter approached Drake without another word. Slowly, he dragged Drake to what looked like an old data uplink terminal. A thin coat of dust covered the displays, but the device was still intact. Connecting Drake's gun-arm to the plug on the terminal, a stream of energy filled it. Unlike before, when Drake was readying to fire, this energy traveled into the suit instead of out. With a bit of fuzz and static, the information on his visor redisplayed itself and his energy meter climbed. As the suit recharged, the other hunter sat himself behind Drake, tinkering with something.

"So tell me, who were your family?" the hunter asked.

"My… family?"  
"You said you lost family on Ceres. Who were they?"

"Henry and Yvonne. What do you care?"

"……Starlight."

"That's right. You know them?"

"You've come for revenge?"  
"Yes. It seems Ridley was responsible for the destruction of my home."

"I suppose…" The hunter's voice trailed off. "You're not going to be able to do anything with this piece of scrap, though."

"What do you mean?"

"Your suit. You fried not only the generator, but the circuit board controlling the power output. As soon as you disconnect from this energy station, you'll be dead in the water again. The air is breathable in here, so if you take off your suit, I'll fix it for you."

After a moment of hesitation, Drake agreed. He twisted and unlocked his helmet, pulling it from his head. The armor plating in the front of the suit slid apart from the center, forming an opening for him to step through. As the hunter said, the air was breathable, though a little stuffy. Stepping next to the hunter, Drake saw the parts he was tinkering with. They were all charred black from overload. A sigh at his own foolishness, Drake looked down.

"You didn't seem at all interested in my dilemma until after I mentioned Ceres, you know. Care to explain?"

The hunter looked up at Drake, locking eyes with him.

Those eyes.

Once more, his heart began to pound. His breath was stolen away and all he could do was stare back.

"Perhaps an introduction would be better. You wouldn't perhaps be related to a Malkovich, would you?" answered the hunter. Drake coughed and cleared his throat, managing to avert his gaze.

"Uh, not to my knowledge… I'm Drake Starlight, a bounty hunter like you. Well… I guess you already knew my last name, but…" Drake's eyes watched the other hunter as he pulled his helmet from his head, flowing blond hair dropping halfway down hisback.

"I'm Samus Aran. Perhaps you've heard of me?"

"Y-you're a… a girl!?" was all Drake could manage, a blatantly obvious statement he would later feel stupid for.

"No, I'm a woman."

He could only gape at the beauty before him.

Those eyes.

It wasn't fear. It wasn't sheer ability.

Those eyes… were beautiful.

"I mean, uh… well, from the accounts of your work with the Galactic Federation… I never would have guessed you were female." Drake stumbled over his words, feeling a degree of embarrassment. It was no wonder this hunter had so much skill. She was the one and only Samus!  
"That just goes to show women can do just as much as men can."

"No no, don't get me wrong… I just thought you were a guy."  
"Most guys do." Samus smirked. "So, you wanted to know why I was interested when you mentioned Ceres?" The thought of Ceres had escaped Drake's mind from the sheer surprise.

"Well… yes… I did. You were pretty rude…"

"Honestly, I thought you were just another fan who wanted in on fame or popularity." _Though he sure looks like him… Having him around may be of use._

"There're people that actually try to do what you do?"  
"That's right. Apparently it's something prestigious to fight along 'the _great_ Samus Aran'." Samus mocked then chuckled half-heartedly. "If only those other three had listened…"

"I see… So, Ridley destroyed Ceres?"  
"In a sense… You see, after my mission on SR-388, a Metroid egg hatched right in front of me. I had just killed the Metroid Queen after exterminating all other Metroids on the planet. The larva followed me like a confused child. This specimen would be perfect for the Metroid Project, so I brought it to the heads of the project: your parents. I had gotten no further than the asteroid belt when I got a distress signal from Ceres. I made a hasty return to find that the Metroid I had just delivered was missing. I tracked it down on the radar I had specially tuned on SR-388. When I found it, Ridley ambushed me and I knew it could only mean the Space Pirates were on the move again. If… I hadn't brought that Metroid to Ceres, none of this would have ever happened, I'm afraid."

"You mean to say… _you're _responsible for Ceres?"

"Well… yes."

"No."

"Huh?"

"You were doing your job, Samus. I don't hold you responsible."

"So was Ridley. Why aren't you trying to kill me too?"

"Were you the one that slaughtered my family? Did you take them from me?"  
"No… I—"

"Ridley did. If you had been the one that killed those people back home, I wouldn't think twice about returning the favor right now. But the simple fact of the matter is that beast killed more than just my family and friends. He murdered every… single… man… woman… and child… on that station. No one… deserves to see the light of day after that."

Samus looked away, thinking to herself. Though she saw Drake's point, maybe he forgot that he was talking to the person who was the tool for the genocide of the Metroid species. Putting it like that, it was almost remorseful to think about. She didn't say anything else in response but instead continued her work.

He watched closely over her shoulder. Samus generally worked alone, things were simpler that way, but for now the company was enjoyable.

"So what brought you to odds with the Space Pirates anyway?" Drake interjected to break the silence as the work progressed.

"Well, you're a bounty hunter aren't you? You should know."  
"That's true, but at the same time I never got hired by the Galactic Federation. Did you lose family to the pirates too?"  
"…" Samus opened her mouth to respond with a strained expression, but no words came out. She slowly let out a deep breath and returned to the suit.

"Oh… uh… then, how close are we to Ridley?"

"We're in Brinstar currently. Ridley nested himself in Norfair, according to the most recent intel."

"Is that far?"  
"You'll have to traverse through Maridia to get there; it could take a few hours."

It wasn't long before the repairs were finished. Despite the damage done, Samus was quite handy with the technology—she had had to make repairs on her own suit in the past, after all. After implementing a few spare pieces from her armor, preparations were finished. She pulled the uplink connection on the suit from the station.

Drake stepped backward into his armor, slipping his arms into the metal arms of machine. The armor plating in the front immediately slid shut and the suit activated. It seemed Samus really did know what she was doing and was quite satisfied with her job well-done, evident by the smug grin on her face. Of course, Drake couldn't help but smile back.

But unknown to Samus, he was more than just smiling back.

A quickening of the heart and shallow breathing, sweaty palms and a dry throat, Drake caught himself. Clearing his throat, he looked away quickly.

"So…?" Samus spoke, breaking his line of thought. Drake barely managed to respond.

"…so… what?"

"Aren't you going to thank me?" she asked. A question asked so obvious, Drake chuckled. He wondered how he didn't think to show his gratitude before.

"Th-thank you Samus."

"It was nothing."

"Hey now, if it were nothing, why'd you demand I thank you for it?"

"Because I'm just better, of course. Now, if you'll excuse me."

"Hold on, hold on… You're after Ridley too, aren't you?"

"What of it?"

"Well… if you're going to fight him, I'm going with you."

"No you're not."

"What?! You've been here before and know the area better. I won't let you deny me my chance for revenge by killing him first. I'm going with you. You'll have to kill me otherwise, any objections, lady?"

Samus returned a gleam, a startled sheen coating her eyes.

"To Maridia then?" Samus' helmet clicked in place, Drake's following thereafter.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

As the veteran of Zebes, Samus took the lead, heading back in the direction that they came from. All was quiet as they walked, almost eerie and there was little wildlife. Drake had almost expected to see something more dramatic (though one might argue that there isn't much that's more dramatic than pterodactyls and mutant dinosaurs).

The two walked silently, retracing most of their steps until they reached a cylindrical glass room. Well, more a tube than a room. Drake gazed through the glass, before him a wondrous water land full of beautiful creatures and plants.

"All right," Samus spoke. Drake turned to her. "Step back."

He watched as she curled forward and compressed herself. He gaped in confusion and awe and took a few steps back as commanded. The suit's armor panels slid and spun, closing on themselves and compacting into a large sphere. From a small compartment popped out a small sphere, this one with some spinning ring on it.

"Incredible… just what kind of technology does her suit employ…?" he uttered to himself.

In moments there was a flash and a shattering sound that knocked Drake clean off his feet. The next instance, he found himself submerged in the water he had just been observing. Both hunters sank to the bottom (with Drake landing on his own). Standing up, he could hardly believe the view before him. He almost felt foolish for thinking that Crateria was awe-inspiring, the scene of glowing vegetation and fantastical wildlife enough to steal your breath away. A gentle octopus creature floated by and nestled itself into small crevice.

"Wow…"

"This way Drake. It's a shortcut that'll punch us right into Norfair."

"You really know your way around." Drake followed, trying to make conversation in the mean time.

"It's my job. My last encounter on this place was nothing short of unforgettable. After doing some extra research on the side, I'd like to say I know this place like the back of my hand."

"Interesting, so what're we looking for exactly, anyway?"

Samus slowed her steps and pointed.

"That."

Before them stood another bubble-like door, but instead of being blue, this was pink. Drake scrunched his forehead, perplexed, lifting his weapon. He squeezed off a few rounds, hoping to open it like he did the previous blue ones but each shot dispersed upon contact with the field. Information streamed across his visor, giving a readout of the pink aura in front of him.

"Class-B force field, 250 percent denser than Class-A. Significant burst of energy or heavy concussion will cause the field to dissipate temporarily."

Samus lifted her arm, the plates on her weapon sliding and locking themselves into place.

"Look alive, Drake." She uttered, using her left hand to steady her weapon and planting her feet in the silt. He tilted his head in lack of understanding but obeyed nonetheless more floating backward than stepping. The weapon elongated slightly, pushing a missile's tip to the front of the gun. A glow ignited from spaces in between the metal plating of the weapon, the projectile tearing forward through the water. It collided with the field at an incredible velocity, exploding on contact.

The pink field faded to blue and then dissolved into nothingness, revealing a dark room before them. Upon taking a step inside, the ground rumbled softly beneath them. Drake felt a tension build under his skin, cracks and crevices in the ground radiating a dim orange color. Samus looked to him with a determined expression on her face—something wasn't right.

From those crevices floated a thick stream of bubbles followed by a stronger rumbling. The two held their breaths, gazing at the glow before them which had started to fade. The room's light source became increasingly dim and with it the shaking below them declined. A sense of calm filled their midst. Both Samus and Drake let go a long exhale.

After a moment's passage, the radar caught his attention.

Nothing was there.

"Huh…"

"Hm?" Samus responded.

"No… it's nothing. I just thought I saw something on radar, but it doesn't look like anything's moving."

"Probably the volcanic activity that's pretty common under Maridia."

But contrary to Samus' assumption, a low guttural rumble ensued thereafter. This wasn't like the tremors before and there was no light emanation from below the bottom of the sea floor there, just bubbles: hundreds of thousands of rising bubbles. In conjunction, the danger indicator on the right of his view pane began to climb slowly. Another guttural rumble flowed through the room, this time coming more directly from the thick bubbles.

The tension built again and Drake took a deep breath, watching his meter continue to rise. He glanced to Samus, who was standing just a few feet away. She seemed fairly collected, though gazing intently at the cloud of bubbles.

The rumbling became progressively louder. Drake raised his weapon, readying himself for what may come. The stream of bubbles began to float away from the source as if being pushed away from the inside of the cloud. Two reflective spheres became visible, like glass marbles in a fish tank, and in turn Drake's danger meter shot through the roof.

He watched the marbles, discerning a black sphere in the center of them. With his meter flashing in warning and the lowlight environment around him, Drake felt action was necessary. A flip of a switch on his helmet engaged the spotlight and before him in the cloud of bubbles floated a black mass, somewhat round, with those two flashing marbles toward the top.

Flashing?

Not like the flash of an L.E.D. or clock that needs resetting, no; this was the blinking of eyes. Two glimmers of reflective gloss eyeing them. The rumbling continued to intensify, putting sweat down both hunters' backs, neither knowing who of the three would make the first move. Such anxiety made Drake weary, his fingers feverishly holding the controls for his weapon. He closed his eyes, making an effort to steady his breathing. Those eyes watching him made him feel vulnerable.

But it wasn't just those marbles that had torn through his defenses.

Those eyes…

_Samus'._

The encounter with Kraid where he had locked eyes with her.

Something about them.

His sense of weariness dissolved into a warm tug of the heart.

_Samus._

Drake opened his eyes slowly. No one had made a move and the stare-down had become more of a stand-still. Raising his gun-arm a little further, his weapon emitted a soft light, growing brighter over time. The charge indicator rose on his arm.

_Like Kraid, this beast won't stand in my way… _the brash hunter thought to himself, planting a foot firmly behind him.

In immediate response, Drake's motion was returned by a stiff shot to the chest, putting him to the ground. The notion was not an attack, but a warning finding Drake coated in an immobilizing tar. The concussion released the weapon's charge into the cloud of bubbles. An unfriendly growl followed, with the figure floating toward him soon after. He tried to pull back and free himself from the sticky fluid but to no avail. The tar had him pinned and his light flashed a few times before finally going out, malfunctioning from the impact.

Drake's mouth grew dry, the seahorse-like form looming over him. Four legs lined each side of the beast, with a pointed barb at the end of its tail like that of a scorpion's. In its circular mouth was a myriad of razor teeth and from it emanated a rumble. A sticky substance dripped from its chops, sinking through the water and oozing onto Drake; the very same substance that had forced him to the floor. The beast was hungry and it seemed he would be the appetizer, the dark shadows exemplifying its gruesome figure.

"Burn!" Samus' voice sounded, muffled by the underwater habitat. Bursts of light contacted the monster from Drake's left, followed by a second barrage. One of its eight limbs sank to the sea floor, severed by the attack. The foe screeched and roared loudly, tearing through the water at Samus with elegant twists and swirls. She tried to return fire, however the speed was such that there was no time for her to react. The beast caught her up in its seven remaining legs and squeezed her tightly to its abdomen. It flung its tail toward the ensnared bounty hunter, the barb on it just barely missing her.

Both hunters found themselves at a disadvantage. Fighting this thing on its home turf gave it a possibly fatal edge in battle. Drake accessed his computer's database on the creature.

"Draygon: a deep-sea bottom feeder that dwells in the deep depths of Maridia on planet Zebes. This creature was found only recently with the occurrence of a volcanic eruption in Brinstar, causing numerous subterranean caverns to open. After the volcanic activity settled, Draygon was found inhabiting the area. It is not known whether the eruption caused Draygon to awaken or if Draygon was the cause of the eruption, but what is known is that it was not here before-hand.

Its form lends credence to the possibility that this creature was an early crustacean; however its eight legs and poisonous tail lend it the form of an arachnid. Its back is coated in a calcium-magnesium compound, shielding it to cave-ins and most attacks. However its underbelly is soft and relatively unprotected."

"Its underbelly!" Drake exclaimed, but with each passing moment Samus was being assaulted by a creature whose tail could kill her in an instant and worse, if the integrity of her suit were compromised, she would drown. Drake struggled to free himself from the sludge, but the more he moved, the more it trapped him. Time was running out and Draygon's vulnerable under-flesh was concealed by his trapped comrade.

Desperate for a solution, the only thing he could think to do was fire his blaster. In his own mind, such helplessness was humiliating for a bounty hunter of his caliber. He could barely believe he had let himself fall prey to such a monster.

Drake repeatedly pulled the trigger to his weapon, heating the tar, hotter and hotter. The temperature around his hand became uncomfortably warm and the substance more pliable, until finally one of the bursts of energy pushed through and contacted the opposite edge of the room.

Electricity sparked and arced through the water from where the shot hit. Draygon turned, distracted momentarily by the soft electric glow. Drake tore off a few more shots from his freed weapon, causing the electricity to intensify. Whatever he had hit was a live wire. Drawn by the glow, Draygon floated toward the light the raw current gave off, Samus motionlessly captive to its clutches.

A small window on Drake's visor enlarged the view of the arcing bar of electricity.

"Warning: Erratic electric current. Contact without exo-suit protection could be fatal." the panel displayed, sparking Drake's cognitive side.  
"Computer! Does Draygon have any known weaknesses besides its underbelly?"

"Searching…" it flashed. "Draygon has no other known weaknesses; however, as a biological being it is susceptible to nerve damage by an overload of electrical current."

"Samus!" Drake called to instruct, but she was already one step ahead of him. Her weapon wormed slightly in the beast's clutches and from it a claw of energy reached toward the wall. Electricity met electricity, establishing a full circuit, with Samus' suit as a conductor. Light and electricity exploded around her, tearing through the water, and similarly the beast behind her.

Draygon screeched for a brief moment, its shell and skin blackening. Its tough exterior bubbled and oozed as intense voltage invaded its body. It all happened in a span of a few seconds and the claws that once threatened Samus were turned to glorified ash, sinking down to abyss from which it came.

The young hunter swam over to his companion, unsure of whether to be shocked or insanely happy. Samus' suit's power fluctuated rapidly. Drake watched until it went dark, the suit sinking motionless to the floor. His heart sank as well. Such high currents were dangerous, and to do such a thing to Draygon, he didn't want to think what could have happened to her.

"S…Samus?" He called, kneeling next to the suit. "Samus!" Knocking a few times on her visor, Drake tried to elicit a response. He lifted her hefty suit up from the floor and cradled it in his arms, looking over it for some sort of sign that she could still be alive until horror struck him. A thin stream of bubbles ascended from a crack in the breastplate of her suit: she was taking on water. It wouldn't make a single difference if she were alive now, only to drown in her own armor later. "Hold on Samus!"

Drake skimmed the room for an exit. Returning to the entrance would be counterproductive and land wasn't for quite a ways back, but apart from the bare electricity dancing exotically on the wall above him, there was little light to see anything. He flipped on the light on his visor and gazed at Samus'. Water droplets coated her view pane from the inside, the condensation obscuring her face from view.

_There has to be an exit… think, think…_ Gazing pensively, he struggled for a plan, but the only thing that could catch his attention was that dancing, arcing, writhing electricity in front of him. _Power…_

And with power means something to feed that power to. Shining the light around the area from which the energy was coming from, a metal object reflected back, or rather the faint glimmer of something metallic shone from behind sediment and seaweed.

With Samus in tow, Starlight stepped over to it. Clearing some of the plants and dirt revealed a large circular sphincter with an unlit panel on one of its edges. His fingers brushed against the panel. Around him the room lit up. A gentle light shone upon panel in front of him, and the sphincter twisted open like a mechanical iris. Inside was dark but the sea floor ahead seemed to ascend and above it…

"Air!" Drake shouted. He hastily pulled Samus upward with him, not giving up hope. Laying her on the ground, he twisted her helmet, releasing it from the locks on her suit. He quickly pulled it from her head and water spilled out onto the sandy soil. She didn't move. "S…Samus!" Tapping her cheek lightly, he received no response. A pale coolness to her face and her lips purple, Drake's heart shattered. "Don't die. Please…"

Losing her was not an option now. He depressed a few buttons, sliding open the armor plating of his suit and falling to the soft soil below him. He tossed away his helmet and tilted her head to the side. Fingers pressing against the huntress' neck, a feeling of warmth and relief overcame him: though faint, Samus still had a pulse. It was less comforting however, when he lowered his ear to her nose. She wasn't breathing. Head tilted back he parted her cold, soft lips and lowered his head. Using his mouth to seal her own and pinching her nose, he forced air into her lungs. A deep inhale after, then he breathed into her again.

"C'mon… don't leave me…" he uttered lowly, moisture welling in his eyes. He felt a tightening sensation in the back of his throat as he continued to repeat the breaths. Tears dripped down his cheeks. Though warmth returned to her face, she was still not breathing. He tried and tried again to return her expressionless face to vivacity, but such suits as these couldn't be opened without power flowing to them and without a way to give proper CPR through her suit, his efforts may be fruitless.

Another breath.

Nothing.

Another breath.

Still nothing.

Drake could feel helplessness sink in with the next breath he gave and yet still no response. He had to do something. With a quick hop, he was back in his armor. Raising his hands, it was all or nothing. A slam from Drake's fists dented Samus' armor and jolted her. He lifted his hands once more and crashed his hands again into the chest.

A cough and then a gasp for air, Samus' eyes shot open. With each cough, a little liquid trickled from her mouth in between quick gasps for air. Drake quickly jumped from his suit, scooped her up and pulled her close to him, rivers of tears coursing down his cheeks. A droplet fell and splashed against Samus' own face as she caught her breath.

"D…Drake?" she spoke lowly, more winded than curious.

"I… I thought you were gone…" he said, trying to choke back the tears. His worried countenance quickly changed to frightful irritation. "Why did you do that!? That electricity could have killed you! I swear if you ever—"

"Drake…"

"—do that again, I'll bring you back from the dead and—"

"You should have let me die."

"—beat you sensele—wh...what? L…let you die?!" His complexion became twisted and confused. He couldn't understand those words. Why would she want him to let her die? How could she not understand? Didn't she know that it wasn't because she was a fellow bounty hunter… It wasn't because she was skilled at what she did… It wasn't because he owed it to her… His tears were because he wanted her to live. He wanted her to be there with him. This strong and brave woman with those eyes—those deep, lovely eyes—now looked so fragile.

"The conductors in my suit don't come in contact with my physical body. Any energy I come in contact with is stored in my batteries. If there's too much, it has to be expelled, which is why the electricity exploded around me like it did. What I… didn't expect was that creature's pained reaction that squeezed me tighter and punctured my suit. If I make a mistake like that again, you need to press on without me or you may not make it out alive either, especially if pirates are waiting in ambush."

"P…please… don't say that." Drake uttered, watching the woman in front of him. She sighed, closing her eyes. Color and life had returned to her beautiful face. Her blond, wet hair was tightly matted to her head. This person who he barely knew had gained his affection, and yet her lips spoke senseless things: soft, tender lips that he had his own lips against just moments before.

Lips.

"Drake, you can't expect to—" But her voice was cut short and a warm sensation melted her heart. Her breathing became soft and her eyes remained closed, feeling the soft touch of Drake's lips against hers. A tender and gentle kiss and his fingers intertwining with hers, a loving hand caressed her face and held her head. The soft touch of the lips became deeper. For that short instant, it was just he and she; the battlefield didn't matter, vengeance was a petty motive, and money was second rate.

But someone had different ideas. Chirping echoed through the dark room and scores of footsteps became evident. Drake lifted his head and separated himself from the beauty before him. It seems what Samus said about an ambush was more painfully accurate than he wished for. He stroked her soft face once more and she opened her eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

Pirates.

At least a dozen of them, dark silhouettes surrounded the two at gunpoint. They squeaked and chirped at the two hunters with clearly hostile intent. Drake rose to his feet, lifting his hands in surrender. There was nothing he or Samus could do now. The group closed in on them with deliberation. As a single pirate came into full view, it was quickly pulled back out of view with shrieks and screeches of pain. No, not pulled. Perhaps more yanked or torn back. Similarly, another three were pulled away from the hunters. Gunfire broke out and Drake dropped to the floor. The quick flashes of energy weapons gave glimpses of a round floating creature. Not only was it floating, but attacking the pirates. It latched onto them with tooth-like tentacles; the pirate vanished soon after that.

The chaos continued until no more screams could be heard and the blaster shots ceased. The two could feel tension rise, however, as the creature was still in their midst. It floated into view, a gelatinous orb with two downward-protruding fangs. Inside its see-through body were what looked to be three round collections of nerves—in essence, its brain. It hovered around, "looking" right at them, though without any clear organs for sight. A little while passed as it lingered in their presence until it harmlessly floated away.

"Samus, was that… what I think it was?"

With a hollow gaze, the huntress nodded.

"A Metroid… _the _Metroid."

"_The _Metroid?"

"Yeah… It's related to Ceres—Can you give me a hand first though? I need you to route a power coupling from your suit's reserves to mine. My batteries are full, but my suit has an emergency shutoff to prevent damage from high voltage. Similar to those antiquated circuit-breakers, I suppose. Just need to get this thing turned on…"

"Sure."

During the course of the conversation, Drake followed Samus' instructions and listened to what she had to say of her stop on Ceres.

"When I dropped off the specimen for examination on Ceres, I stayed for a little while to see what your parents could find. The results were amazing! All the records from Space Pirate experiments were true. Metroids could not only pull and store energy from things, but even be used to transmit energy almost like a living battery. If that were possible, similar to how it could suck the life from a being… Perhaps it would be possible to restore life to a being as well. The last living Metroid was in captivity. The galaxy was at peace. Or so I thought… Hey, make sure that you reverse the energy flux on your suit.

Anyway, my peace of mind was too good to be true. With the distress signal Ceres was giving off, I knew something with the larva had gone wrong. Upon arrival, I found the specimen missing and shredded human bodies. I had first thought the Metroid broke loose and attacked because it wasn't in its containment cell, but you saw what happened to those pirates just now didn't you?"

"Yeah… there was nearly no trace left of them, vaporized."

"Right… Following its plasma trail, I found it unharmed in a dorm room. Though these creatures were smart, they had no way of opening doors or locks. And furthermore, it was still in the stasis tube I had brought it in. It wasn't long after that Ridley ambushed me and then the self-destruct sequence initiated. I had little time and there was nothing I could do except evacuate with the Metroid in Ridley's clutches. I pursued him through space, but what I don't understand is how could he still be alive? I watched him die in front of my eyes over a year ago. I put a missile right through its skull." With a sigh, Samus continued. "The Metroid that was stolen is the same one that hatched in front of me and is same the one that just saved our lives."

"So that's why he didn't do anything to me…"

"What do you mean?"

"Ridley and I were at a stare-off back on Ceres… If you can even call it a 'him,' he stood down and ran off with little rhyme or reason. I'll bet he sensed your presence and found you to be the greater threat."

"I'm impressed. Not many people can stand off with Ridley and make it out alive."

"I wouldn't say stand off as much as stand in front of… I have to admit, I've never been so scared in my life. I'd thought I'd gone out and seen a lot in space, but never had I been confronted by a beast or a situation such as that."

"Yeah… the few who have generally don't make it out alive."

Drake finished preparations between his suit and Samus' and with the touch of a few buttons, her suit powered up. The mechanics came to life, and she was mobile once more. Disconnecting the power coupling between the two suits, Starlight stepped into his armor. The two placed their helmets and readied themselves to move on.

"If that Metroid gets in the hands of the pirates," Samus started, turning to her counterpart. "…it could mean the end of the galaxy as we know it. We need to find it. Tune your visor to detect plasma trails; we're going on a hunt."

A touch of his visor settings and blue clouds fogged his field of view. All around the room plumes glowed softly, even providing an alternative light source to guide their steps. The two trailed the alien byproduct, a usually-invisible aura given off by the chemical reactions of Metroid flotation. Around them, a lush ecosystem comparable to that of a rainforest caught Drake's interest. The striking imagery of alien wildlife and plant life, and the complex beauty of it was enthralling. Flora and fauna like that could only be compared to a paradise, untouched by civilization, untouched by tainted human hands. Nature at its finest and what a stark contrast it was compared to the drab grays and browns of human culture. Multicolored berries, creatures that could nearly become invisible, leaves and bushes that bore attractive fruit, and flowers that made the most ornate bouquet of roses, daisies, daffodils, carnations or hyacinths seem ordinary.

Their path was fairly linear, though the billows of azure floated about fancifully. Gentle illumination gave their steps the light they needed. Guided by the trail, the two didn't say much at all. For Samus, this was normal. She had preferred to worked alone and the silence had grown to be her friend since back when _he_ was a part of her life, but her counterpart however glanced around himself distractedly.

Starlight wasn't scared; at least not in his own mind. He looked calm, at peace with the quiet and following in Samus' footsteps. Despite his outward tranquil, his mind was not so relaxed. Around them the beautiful forestry and alien colors faded sparsely and his fingers fidgeted with the controls to his weapon. A light chill traveled through him, watching the greens, blues, reds and violets fade to grays and browns.

_Cold…_

Bitterness invaded his mouth, leaving one to wonder what was ahead.

Blue clouds floated up and into the distance, the cavern spreading into a large area and with it the trail they'd been following. Soft hushing sounds and whispers could be heard before him.

"It'll be difficult to track it now." said Samus, stopping to sigh. Drake gaped for a moment before answering.

"………it's…big."

"Mmh." Samus nodded.

A chill.

"Do you hear that…?" The whispering became louder. _Why am I… so cold?_

"Hear what?"

"Those whispers… they're getting louder." _What are they saying…? Ch… Cho…_

"Whispers? What do you mean?"

"…nothing… I guess I'm hearing things." _I know it's there. She can't hear them? …zo…cho…z…_

"All right. It seems the plasma has been lingering long enough to have dispersed somewhat."

"Right…" _Cold. Hatred. Hate… me…?_ Drake's eyes glazed over, feeling his throat tighten.

"We'll have to search each part quickly."

_Cold hatred. Danger. I don't understand._

"Otherwise the Pirates will get there first."

_Ch…Chozo? What do you mean?_

"Drake, is something wrong?"

_Samus? No…You can't hurt her!_

A pebble and some dirt dropped on Samus' shoulder.

"Samus! Look out!" Drake instinctively dove for her, knocking her to the floor. A golden visage crashed to the ground on its feet, barely missing the two. Gazing at it momentarily, his head began to pound. Retching urges immerged from the back of his throat and his vision blurred. Drake frantically clasped his helmet, curling his head between his knees.

"Sh…shut up! Out of my head… you Chozo!"

"Drake!" Samus called, glancing at the golden statue and then kneeling before her partner. She didn't understand. What was wrong? Why was this happening?

Another light flooded the room. The warm blue glow was invaded by a sharp, red gleam. Samus turned toward the eminence, finding the piercing glow staring at her. The statue mechanically extended its arm to the hunter.

Chozo. She already knew what this was.

"You're a little different." She exhaled sharply, glaring right back at the light shining upon her and her disabled friend. "But no different from the rest." With gritted teeth she hopped into the air in a forward flip, her suit complying by closing upon itself. The armor compacted and slid, Samus landing herself into a ball on the outstretched hand of the effigy. Glowing diminished to a small flicker and finally the eyes became blank, closing shut.

Drake groaned and his writhing ceased. Slowly, he stood to his feet, short of breath.

"Th…the whispering stopped. What the hell happened?"

Samus turned to her partner, determinedly.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing. Just what whispering have you been talking about?"

"How could you not hear it? It was just like when I saw that one before I found you at Kraid's."

"What one…?"

"The thing that looks just like that!" Drake pointed behind Samus, irritation coating his words at the throb in his head. The golden statue stood there, unmoving, the victim of the hunter's sharp finger. "As I trailed you, there were the remains of Space Pirates and some statue thing. It looked like that one, but it was brown. From its bird face to the spiny plates descending its back… Even its feet were the same. Just what is it?"

"It's a statue of a Chozo." explained Samus. Drake felt his temples pulse in pain at the word. "They were a peaceful and scientific race. At the time, the planet's secondary inhabitants were underdeveloped and primitive. These were the Space Pirates. A far cry from the warring and violent species you know today… The Chozo even stationed their soldiers in their cities to protect the Pirates. As not to cause social unrest, these soldiers would lie dormant until an emissary of Chozo blood came to activate the statue. However… the species have been extinct for over a decade…"

Nausea followed Samus' words. Drake could barely keep in the contents of his stomach. The word "Chozo" held some deep and powerful yet obscure meaning for him. His vision blurred slightly, but with a deep breath, he shook it off.

"Wh…what happened to them?

"I'm not entirely sure, but I believe that the Ridley also came to this planet. Perhaps it was him—or _it, _rather—that started the warring faction of Space Pirates. How he got his hands on an Aurora Unit is beyond me, but using the Unit named "Mother Brain" as a defensive platform and corrupting the hearts of the people gave them great power on Zebes. The Chozo were eradicated in one fell swoop by the Pirates, hailing Ridley as their leader.

Their soldiers in their statue-like dormant form were destroyed before they could be reactivated and the ones that weren't destroyed were left to rot in the elements. Very few are left… So I suppose you could consider this a treasure trove."  
"Why treasure?"

"Chozo blood flows through my body, though it would be difficult to connect the physiology of a Chozo and its mental working directly to that of a human. Instead, my suit acts as a medium for us. It's no exaggeration when I say that Chozo sweat and blood went into this suit. Interfacing with the statues usually will give my suit an upgrade or at least the innate ability of the soldier of the statue. But this one's different… Its gold and standing instead of crouched and stone… Perhaps that's why it hasn't decayed like most others."

Drake felt himself gag slightly, looking back at the statue, but despite the retching sensation, he also felt drawn to it. Rising to his feet and taking steps forward felt like the only answer to the throb in his head. With a swallow, his hand drew near to the face of the effigy, gazing at its downward and rounded beak. Its skin looked feathered, yet hard as the gold material it was made of.

_Chozo…_ Thinking to himself. Drake touched the statue. His conscious washed away and before him laid a field of green. His headache waned but slurred, hushed whispers surrounded him. Wildflowers and sparse trees spanned the field and young children—young Chozo—played in it. The sun smiled upon them with its warmth in the cloudless sky. A gentle breeze wafted through and the panorama changed to a busy town square. Many Chozo walked through the streets, engaging in business and the usual activities of a normal day setting into night. With the setting of the sun came the stars of space. His view twisted around him, planets and galaxies floating by, but with the darkness of space came another darkness.

A foreboding emptiness engulfed a planet: a cloud, a swarm. The whispers intensified—no, not intensified; wailed and shrieked as in pain.

Warping forward, his image turned to another field and the whispers stopped. This field was empty and desolate; a bitter wind sweeping over and raining nothing but ash. A mound lay in the midst of this field. Drake's face cringed in distaste as the view involuntarily approached the mound. The corpse of a young Chozo child laid there. Innocent's blood nothing more than cinders and really, there was nothing left but the skeleton. A gale blew it to ash and it floated into the sky, swirling and twisting until a familiar form came of it. Hushing and whispers could be heard again, almost as if there were numerous people talking in a crowd, or numerous vocal tracks played forward and backward. The ash turned to cinders and cinders to dust and dust to life until a full body formed and slowly descended to his level, voices coming to intelligible fruition.

"Have you come to release me?" it spoke.

"Rel…ease you?"

"Since the day I was put to sleep. I've existed here."

"What… is this place?"

"It should look familiar to you."

With the passing of a few moments, their surroundings blew over into a warm sunny day over the field where the young Chozo played. The breeze was warm and the scent of wildflowers filled the ocean blue sky once more. But as fast as the warmth had come, so it left, a cold foreboding darkness flooding toward them in the sky. It swept over, and so this field, this planet died.

Drake gaped around him, gripped by a sadness that wasn't his own, tugging at the strings of his heart. These were the feelings of the figure before him.

"Over and over… The same thing I see, young one." said the Chozo spirit. Drake felt his heart turn to ice, watching the swarm as a cloud overtake the field. The children that were there were swept away or brutally killed, by a great army; an army of cold-blooded killers from space. Space Pirates. "This very day was I taken away from our home. They came quickly and I watched their filthy hands desecrate all that was sacred to us. Years have I lied in wait like this, for one to awaken me from this hibernation."

"'our'? 'us'? Wh…what do you mean?"

"Do you not recognize this field, young one? It is our home, you of Chozo blood."

"Ch…Chozo blood? What are you talking about? I'm Drake, not one those _things_."

"Why do you speak so poorly of our kind? Do you too not seek vengeance against the Space Pirates? Did they not also destroy your home?"

"Yes of course I do. They killed my family… They destroyed everything of value to me. But… but that's different! I'm not your kind. I've never been like you. My home was Ceres. Who are you…?"

"I am called Torizo."

"Torizo. I am… Drake."

"What role does this Drake play in our society? Never have I heard such a title."

"No, no… It's… my name. It was given to me by my parents.

"Then perhaps, it is not me you should ask 'who' of, but yourself. Young Drake, it is not wise to reject your bloodline."


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

As it had formed, the ash scattered into the wind and was no more. The vision dissipated, fading away almost like the ash that had surrounded him. There before him again was the golden statue. A pounding shot through his head again, but the whispering didn't leave. Instead the whispering and wailing became growls and roars. The statue's eyes slid open, gleaming at him with blue eyes. Its single outstretched hand swatted Drake away with little effort, the wails and growls focusing their origin to its mouth. He clutched his helmet once more, writhing and groaning in pain.

"Ugh… my head…!"

"What did you do to him!?" Samus questioned the metal figure before her. Its crystalline cobalt eyes watched her emotionlessly. In contrast, Drake was far from collected, growling psychotically. Kneeling before him, she twisted his helmet off. Saliva dribbled from his mouth, eyes bloodshot. Painfully, he clawed at his throat, slumping over to the side. The contents of his stomach spewed out onto the ground and his countenance showed no recognition of Samus' presence. Her eyes jumped back and forth, watching him suffer unnecessarily. She swiftly turned back to the visage. "Answer me!"

The statue turned mechanically, its brazen crust chipping and cracking. Like a hardened reptile molting its skin, the creature sloughed off its shell, turning its head toward Samus. Its eyelids thinned—aggravated—at Samus' insolent demand. The large beak of the Torizo opened, but no voice came from it. Instead the rushing of wind and water reached her mind, forming incoherent whispers. The whispers scratched and clicked, melding into a tone that could be understood.

"Hatchling."

_Hatch…ling?_ Samus felt her heart wrench. It had been so long, so many times passed and so many memories since then. A life long forgotten, tucked away in the crypts of her mind. Military training taught her to suppress her true feelings and gave her the steel will of a warrior, but no training could have prepared her for a flood of reminiscence like the flash of her homeworld on her mind's eye. _How do you know that name? _She asked, via thought. The voice responded, physically inaudible.

"Hailed were you among our people, Hatchling. Few in all the planets we inhabited knew not your name. Your parents would have been proud."

_Y…you knew my parents?_

"Indeed. For your planet was also my planet. Young… We were young then."

_Release Drake and tell me what you know._

"I cannot. Surely, you know the incident on K-2L, our homeworld."

_Yes… I lost my parents to the darkness that day._

"Our sages knew there were those who sought to usurp everything the Federation had become. A blind and single-minded people. We had hoped to find more Afloralite as to repel them. However, the Pirates struck far before our expectations: you humans and our few Chozo populous there with you. All were killed, nay slaughtered, and those that were not were taken away. But one… But one. You, Hatchling."

For me, death would have been much the better fate. Instead, I was brought to this subterranean base, enslaved for harsh labor. At the time in which they sought to be rid of me, they artificially induced hibernation. Years have I slept, seeking vengeance upon the Space Pirates."

_But why should Drake be punished for that? He has nothing to do with this._

"Do not confuse his pain for punishment, Hatchling. His death is necessary for the survival our species."

_Survival… Your species is gone. You and I are the only two left of Chozo blood. The Pirates overwhelmed your kind over ten years ago._

"………so… it did come as was told by the sages. For shame that we did not heed them quickly." the Torizo spoke voicelessly, its eyes mellowing. "There was another like you, Hatchling. A deadly, volatile weapon fabricated in the likeness of you. Though it too carries our blood, it cannot be allowed to live."

_The Chosen…? Why does that mean you have to hurt Drake?_

"I cannot let him go with you."

_For the first time in my life, I've found someone like him. Like Adam… and by your whim you'll take him away? Release him._

"I cannot, Hatchling."

_Look at what you're doing to him! You speak of preserving your kind, but yet denying and forsaking everything that a Chozo lived by._

Drake's pained motions and groans declined to a near comatose state, a hollow gaze to his eyes.

"It is not my own doing but the very blood that courses through his veins. So long as he lives, he is a danger to our kind."

_I am human. I am not your kind at all._

"You dare to defy your own bloodline as well!?" The voice turned sharp, ringing out in echoes to the deepest recesses of her mind. Samus stood defiant. "Then that's the way it must be. You too are a danger. I will kill you with my own hands."

_You're nothing more than a Space Pirate in a Chozo body._

The feathers and scales on the Torizo's body shifted, a livid tenseness coming over the skin of the creature. Its mouth opened, a high-pitched screech ringing out audibly, and in turn the voice in Samus' head speaking out. "You are a _disgrace!_ Your blood shall quell my hatred."

Giving Samus an angry gleam, a battle to the death was what this animate statue desired. A fight for survival between two of the last of Chozo blood, the Torizo struck first. Its lengthy right arm sprang out at Samus, barely missing as she ducked. Her fist shot upward on the rebound, only to be parried by a motion of the Torizo's knee and followed by a sweeping low kick. Samus jumped, curling her body backward into a flip and landing on her feet a few meters back.

It took only a split second for the Torizo to close the distance between it and its foe, lining a lunge toward her. Her hand caught the incoming shoulder with a grunt, stopping the freight-train force dead in its tracks. A spinning kick flew like a gale toward Samus' side, her elbow catching most of the blow. Her fist swung forward but was caught by a precise grasp of the Torizo. With a twist, pain shot through Samus' arm, forcing her to the ground on her back. However, without missing a beat her legs curled up, planting both feet firmly into the face of the assailant. A two step stumble, then a roll and it was back on its feet again.

It tore forward at her, twisting into another spinning kick. While the leg itself did not contact Samus, a swift blade of light struck her abdomen. The force came in so fast it knocked her off her feet. Her prowess however would not be undermined so easily, using a roll to press against a wall and flipping forward into the air. Fist coming down like a hammer, it contacted the Torizo's face and took it to the floor. With a nimble hop, a stream of electricity flew from her gun arm, a claw branching out at the end.

The hand grasped the creature and with a yank, it flew toward Samus who lunged forward in a follow-up strike. Given the nature of the battle, she knew her foe wouldn't easily be subdued. As it flew through the air, it hurled a sequence of illuminated spheres toward her. Her grapple released and she ducked to avoid two of the balls, diving to the side to avoid the rest. Explosions contacted the far edge of the cavern.

As was typical of a Chozo warrior, the Torizo's attack was relentless. Two blades of light sliced through the air at Samus, along with another ball of energy. She leapt forward into a flip and dodged the blades of light. Catching the explosive with her electricity claw, she used the momentum to hurl it back at her foe. The beast spun, sending a slice of light to the projectile and detonating it midair. Smoke plumed from the blast, Samus tearing through it with an aerial kick seconds after and foot planting itself into the being's chest. Using the foothold, she pushed herself back, landing to the floor on her feet and putting the Torizo to its rear. Her electric grappling beam extended once more in a flash, clasping its large head and hurling it into the wall. Blazing forward, she threw a punch which contacted the wall in a near miss to the bird-face.

Its fist struck Samus in the ribs, followed by a knee to the abdomen. The huntress doubled over, soon finding a pointed elbow slammed into her head. Her face shot for the ground, cracking the visor of the helmet. Pushing up to return to her feet, a stiff foot depressed her back.

"Worm. This is your punishment for betraying those who raised you."

Samus would take such blasphemy no longer. She loved and cherished the Chozo: the very people who raised her and cared for her in her early years. Their values were impressed deeply upon her heart, and their ways fresh in her mind. They were graceful, merciful, peaceful. They were the protectorates of that which was just and upright. They were family.

_No. It is you who is the traitor._

Armor plates on her suit slid and folded over themselves. They curled together, her body taking the form of a ball. She rolled away hurriedly, leaving a trail of smaller spheres of her own behind her. Each sphere detonated, buying her the time she needed to reassume her normal figure and ready herself once more.

A barrage of energy balls flew past her side, a trick used heavily by Chozo warriors. Instead of jumping the other way, she rolled into and under the attack, watching two blades of light slice by where her legs would have been had she gone the other way. Raising her blaster, she squeezed off a few misaimed warning shots, grazing the side of the Torizo's arm. It stood undaunted; Samus tilted her head forward, returning a sharp gaze.

The Torizo stretched and took an offensive stance. It had had its chance to size up his opponent, and now could take the battle seriously. This moment was what every Chozo warrior dreamed of: a fight intense and competitive. Not many could match the brute strength and sheer cunning of a Chozo, matched only by the throng of Space Pirates. (Though any self-respecting Chozo would deny that a Pirate could match up to a Chozo warrior in a one-on-one battle.)

Both combatants leapt forward. Samus took a swing and the Torizo jumped to the wall, landing on all fours. The huntress swept away the ground at her feet in chase. A forearm and shin connected, then two flips off the wall, landing, blocking and parrying blows midair. Little could be seen of the blur they created.

An uppercut. A blast of light and an explosion. The sound of tearing wind and grunts of exertion. Fluttering kicks, and intricate dances of martial arts. A slash of light, followed by echoes of blaster shots splattering against the ceiling and walls like grapeshot. A clang of metal and then a crunch.

The Torizo plummeted to the ground, catching itself on its hands and flipping back. Samus was already there, planting a knee into its spine. With a follow through, the Torizo's feet were swept out from under it to have its face shoved into a mouthful of dirt. The huntress swiftly snatched its hand, flinging her foe to the far side of the room. Before it could even respond, she leapt forward. Her fist connected its jaw, spinning the body midair. Feet dashing in a flurry, the view was almost unnoticeable. Another blow connected, propelling the Torizo in the other direction from its force and pursued swiftly by blaster shots. Before it could even respond, she was already there. Hands at the Torizo's back and stopping it midair, the shots singed the beast.

In a motion to retaliate, its foot swept up and back but the battle soon became one-sided. Samus' leg caught the foot in the curve behind her kneecap, holding it in place and thrusting the beast forward for another mouthful of dirt. The electric claw arced forward, slinging the Torizo like a ragdoll. Yet again, she was already there. Her speed outmatched his glaringly.

With a finishing blow, Samus' weapon pressed into the beast from the other side. Glowing brighter, a charge heated the skin contacting the blaster. The energy ejected itself forward, cleanly searing through the foe's lower back and abdomen.

There was no howl of pain or terror. There was no plea for mercy. This was the fate every Chozo soldier dreamed of. Trained to be the protectors of the weak and trained to fight for what they believed in, dying in battle for your cause was the way of a Torizo.

It silently fell to the floor, twisting itself to look up at the victor. Faint whispers and groans reached Samus' mind.

"Perhaps I misjudged you, Hatchling."

Samus twisted her helmet and pulled it from her head. Taking a deep and solemn breath, the final fate of her caretakers had been executed. Her family's extinction wrought by her hands.

_You fought with honor._

"As did you, Hatchling. A wrecked ship of our kind resides on the planet's surface. The answers you seek lie there. Carry on… our legacy."

The vividly glowing blue eyes dimmed, and the eyelids draped shut. Visible signs of life ceased and the last of the Chozo race passed calmly. Samus' lips pursed, choking down a welling in her heart. A single, lone tear glistened down the line of her cheek.

_Goodbye…_

Having won the battle, the victory was bittersweet. What was done was done, even if only for the sake of her friend.


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

"Drake." Spoken softly.

Samus approached his slumped figure, kneeling next to him. His face was pale but visibly breathing. The dim to his eyes sparkled again. Though the expression of his face was pained, Samus took relief in knowing that he would make it out alive.

"But he didn't…" the woman sighed, gazing upon Drake. "You look so much like him, you know." She said, not expecting a reply. Her heart began to soften and the countless walls and defenses of her heart began melt away. "I couldn't help but think of him, when you called me lady. I left the Federation when you died, Adam. It should have been me… you know that as well as I do. 'We are all bound by our experiences. They are the limits of our consciousness. But in the end, the human soul will ever reach for the truth.' That is what you told me. So maybe… in Drake's reach for the truth, I've come to reach for my own truth. Why I was left to live on when so many have died in my place. That is what drives me."

A moan to her side.

"Samus……? Who are you talking to?"

Samus didn't look toward Drake. With a deep breath she replaced her helmet, putting on the mask once more.

"No one Drake, are you well?"

"I'm… better. That horrid whispering stopped."  
"Then let's go. We're already dangerously behind."

Breathing labored, he complied and rose to full height. His head spun, but he shook it off. Samus led the way and he followed her without second thought, more distracted and weary than naïvely trusting her sense of direction. It couldn't be denied though, she knew where she was going. Drake could only replay those scenes in his head.

Swirls of nearly tangible images visited him. The aching isolation that cloud—that swarm—gave him was more than tangible, however. Painful, merciless, prejudiced slaughter. Murder. The intent to kill permeated the air. Their disgust was all too real. What could such a barbaric species hope to accomplish by taking the life of innocents?

Drake gripped his chest plating, reaching for the area of his heart. His breath left him and a throb pulsed through his veins. The more those scenes played over and over through his mind, the more the burn grew. Call it rage or a lust for vengeance if you like, but those emotions were all too fond for Drake. This was more than just a senseless hatred like those mindless zealots.

His breathing accelerated. A thin condensation formed on the inside of his visor and each step he took seemed to require an act of God. Yet through his weakened state, a twinge in the back of his neck pressed him on like an adrenaline rush. Something should be done… That's what it seemed to say. Justice should be served. It burned, as if there were some promise he had to keep, or some destiny he had to fulfill. It ran deeper than just wanting to avenge his parents.

Something had been sleeping in him. Something that had been long suppressed was now waking; the fondness of the scene on K-2L lit the match of the trickle of heat coursing in his blood. What it was, however, he couldn't put his finger on.

A familiar light reached his eyes. He looked up through blurred vision, seeing the silhouetted figure of the woman in front of him. A long tunnel extended forward with a yellow-orange eminence from its mouth. Sure, there were many caverns he'd been through already, but this one he recognized. They were leaving the underground.

"Samus." He spoke blankly, not sure how much time had passed or how long they'd been walking. "Why are we here?" She stopped and turned to him, only the green illumination of her visor showing through the blackness of her figure against the light beyond.

"For answers, Starlight." The response was uncomfortably formal.

"And the Metroid?"

"We've lost it. Come, we have business elsewhere."

Through the smog, a yellow Galactic Federation ship came into view. Samus' craft. Even though the Metroid had been such a priority before, Drake could vaguely understand what Samus meant. The abrupt change in plans and motives didn't seem odd to him. There was a tug of guidance or a whisper at the back of the mind, pushing him forward. Samus felt it too, it was instinctual.

Looking up at the radar on his visor, Drake found another blip. It hadn't been there before, he was sure of it, but he knew somehow what it meant. It was in his blood.

"Samus, let's go."

Following the radar brought them to the mouth of another cavern. They entered without hesitation, not knowing what to expect, just to expect something. Drake felt his blood boil within him yet his body grew calmer in the dimness inside. Before them a metal barricade protruded from the dirt and rock walls and a circular piece of metal protruded further from it. Both were tarnished, well weathered and dirty. Samus touched her palm flat to the plate sticking out.

Two lines of green slid around in a rectangle on the metal and faded. Another two lines slid around in a different pattern, then another in the trail of the first. The lightshow illuminated somewhat brighter with each passing of these lines. A panel of metal slid away from one of the paths that the lines traced, more following thereafter in an intricate display of mechanics. Finally, the last piece slid down into the floor and a long, dark room called them inward.

"The ship." Samus stated and glanced around her. Drake was still unused to the tingling, rushing flow through his body to really be concerned about the environment. There were no lights, power was off, but light amplification was sufficient for the task.

Organic. Inside the spacious hangar before them were creatures indigenous to Zebes, looking little different from the cave they'd just come from. The walls covered in dirt and the ground crawled with families of scurrying creatures.

A visage greeted them with stone-like warmth. Drake reeled a moment, expecting to hear voices or feel a debilitating urge to vomit, but none came. The visage, the statue, stood before them in the likeness of a Chozo, its hand outstretched. Starlight knew what he had to do, but feared that there would be similar circumstances as the last time. Inhaling, he held the air in his lungs, standing fully upright to match the Chozo statue, which was also standing upright (contrary to the norm that Samus described). He looked to her for a moment, she nodded in reassurance. Placing his hand in the hand of the statue, he grit his teeth.

Gentle green brightened up from inside the statue, and glowed dimly through the gem eyes. This statue was just a statue, standing as a hollow guardian. It turned around, in emulation of a real Chozo, but displaying clearly mechanical parts. Taking a step, it waited a moment then walked forward. Samus and Drake knew they had to follow. They felt it pull them, call to them by the strings of fate, the web of destiny.

Dim scenery passed them by. Most of the wildlife kept about their normal business, as if this were natural to them. No lights shone at all apart from that of the statue's eyes. Deeper into the ship was the more typical scenery: metal walls and corridors, electronics and other evidence of more modern life. A musty dankness permeated the air, lending to its age. To Samus' estimation, the craft was probably Chozo Alliance or first generation Galactic Federation ship. It was easily facing ten years of disuse, maybe even fifteen years of age.

The statue stopped in front of the two, leading them to a small room. Its eyes dimmed to nothing and it returned to its lifeless figure once again. This was their stop.

Drake took a step in, Samus following thereafter. The room didn't seem any different than any other. No computers, or electronics, no boxes or storage. There was nothing noteworthy there, but still they somehow knew that was where they were to be. Behind them, a metal panel slid shut, closing off their exit and leaving the two in pitch black. Light amplification of no use, Drake flipped on the light of his helmet. A flash and then nothing at all, the room darkened once more.

Blinking his eyes rapidly, Drake sighed and fought to disperse the blue tint around him as his eyes readjusted to the darkness. His eyes trailed around the room, leaving a blue swirl as he turned his head. Thinning his eyes then closing them, he'd have rubbed them if it weren't for his helmet.

"Samus." He called for her.

"I see it too, Drake."

As his eyes opened, the blue became thicker. It wafted gently about the room and with its thickening, so grew its paleness. The aura pulled together, concentrating in an area near them, taking a large head or balloon-like form. Despite that, it remained translucent like a poltergeist.

An adrenaline rush shot through Drake. The warm trickle of fire through him became a flood. His heart pounded and his breathing accelerated, yet his mind stayed calm. The tips of his fingers and toes tingled with a prickly heat. Beyond his control, he felt the twinge at his neck intensify. This thing was connected to him somehow.

"Chosen. Hatchling. I have been waiting for you." It spoke, its single eye opening. Its mouth parts didn't move however, in conjunction with its speech. Its form glowed softly before them, the head smooth and round with jagged, spiked tubes coming from the bottom. "I am Phantoon, the guardian of this ship." Phantoon's ethereal being drifted toward and around the hunters, leaving a floating blue aura behind it. "I already know why you are here. I know what you seek, prodigies of Project C." Drake and Samus turned as they followed its movements.

"Project C?" Samus stated, asking calmly about it.

"You wouldn't know much about it the project itself, Hatchling. You were the prototype after all. Perhaps you should ask Drake."

Samus turned to her counterpart, searching his eyes. They were hollow, his form rigid. A chill traced her body. He stood motionless, gazing at Phantoon as would some poor fool who'd been hypnotized.

Drake felt his blood boiling within him. It wasn't anger or hate, but an awakening: the connecting of a thousand dots and the final piece to a puzzle.

"You feel it too, don't you Drake?" Phantoon spoke again. "That rushing, pulsing through your body. That pent up energy that's just waiting to be tapped in to."

Starlight looked away in denial, though his pupils were hardly discernable against the corneas around them, both darkened by the rush in him. Truly, he thought his heart would beat out of his chest, but emotionally he stayed thoroughly calm.

"One, the ultimate keeper of peace…" Phantoon floated, then looked Drake straight in the eye before continuing. "…and the _other_… the ultimate spark of war… It's fortunate that you both came to me at the same time. Perhaps you two are bound by fate." Phantoon swirled about Drake ectoplasmically. "You're a danger to everyone around you, you know. In fact, your very existence as the man-child is a threat to the very balance of this galaxy."

"Man…child?" Samus was aghast, her mouth gaping. She stepped back, nearly stumbling into the wall behind her. "Drake you're…?" He looked askance to her, having only realized it himself not much earlier. It was the only explanation for what he had been sensing inside himself.

"Well isn't this fascinating. Don't tell me you didn't know, Hatchling. The very Drake before you is the Chozo's very own Chosen. Before birth, he was modeled after you in every manner of Project C. I'm sure you know however, that you two turned out quite differently."

Samus stood still, taken aback. For many years she had trained under the Chozo Alliance and studied under the most rigorous of academic professors. She had many friends of the Chozo but yet she harbored loneliness, wondering if there would ever be any like her. Any who had to face the same tests and experiments and monitoring she did. Any who could understand what she went through, losing her family, and becoming a lab rat from her childhood. Rumors through the Alliance spoke of a man-child who had also been injected with Chozo blood. The rumors were vicious in many cases, and whenever she had asked of this man-child, the only answers she received were of his death. She'd given up the hope of seeing him many years ago.

"Hatchling, you understand the danger of this Chosen, do you not?"

"I…do." She spoke with a deep breath. Her body visually relaxed and her resolve returned. The metal of her suit glistened under the dim aura, exaggerating shadows around the curves. She stepped deliberately toward Drake, who was still standing still, gazing at her. "The Chosen…" She lifted her arm. "…has to die." And pressed her weapon to his head.

Drake stood still, closing his eyes. He could feel the heat at the side of his helmet start to rise. The glow of the gun shone brightly in the room, a growing ball of energy in the barrel. Soon he would cease to exist, and his purpose would be fulfilled. He was built to be a weapon of mass destruction, but his purpose had been resigned to nothing more than be exterminated. Sure, he was modeled to be a super-soldier after Samus but instead they stuffed him away, cooped him up in Ceres, hoping no one would find him. His parents were dead and those that bred him had rejected him from the start, afraid of what he could be. They stripped him of his reason for being: to kill. So what better purpose should he have, than to die?

The gun glowed. He opened his eyes and looked down the barrel. Its light shone upon him still and with his eyes trailing up Samus' arm, then to her own eyes, he stared one last time. Things seemed so much different from that time when his heart twisted at the sight of them. Those tender, beautiful eyes and the deep pools they formed; the way they shimmered in the light of her helmet and the softness of them. Really, he'd be happy to die with that as the last thing he saw. And so, he resigned himself to his fate. This fate shoved upon him, this fate he was told to have.

Could that even be considered fate at all? Certainly, matters of fate and destiny by nature are out of one's hands, but deep down he felt this fate was not his. This wasn't what he was meant to be, this artificial destiny shouldn't be his end. He should've been more. He should've right the wrongs done to him and his family. Now, however, it seemed so pointless. The restrained energy would be released, blazing clean through his head. Another page in another book would be closed and this fate would be the end of his story. No glitz, no glamour, no flash of life before his eyes, this was cold, somber death. It'd all be over.


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9 **

"Report on Test Subject B of Project C is, sir."

"Oh? Good. How long until birth?"

"Human gestation cycles last about nine earth months, but…"

"'But…'?"

"The DNA injections seemed to act as a stimulant in the subject's body. At first, we injected the womb itself with our blood samples. The child grew quickly. As its body developed, we administered the samples directly. Growth accelerated."

"Then this is good news, doctor. Our military needs well-developed personnel."

"Yes, that is true, but the development was so fast that it was birthed in only two earth months."

"Two…? And how is the subject?"

"The man-child seems to be developing normally from outside the womb."

"Do you feel those developmental jumps could have long-lasting repercussions?"

"Well… it's not so much the jumps themselves, but rather the reactions from them that worry me. You see, when the subject is administered with the sample, its body convulses, as if it were having a seizure."

"Was there any damage to the subject or the host mother?"

"None so far. I just can't help but think of the contrast between it and Subject A."

"The hatchling…"

"Yes. Her body showed no adverse side effects. This may be due to the fact that she was injected with out DNA after a few years into her childhood. Or…"

"Or?"

"Perhaps Subject B is incompatible?"

"This is a viable possibility. We need to take this into careful consideration during the course of the study. Where are we keeping the man-child currently?"

"Here on Zebes, sir."

"How is he, behaviorally?"

"That's… where there's the contrast. Under most circumstances, he's like any other normal human child. However, as soon as I or any of our staff try to check on him, he flails and screams."

"Don't most children do that when they're separated from their mother?"

"That's what we had assumed at first too, however most babies do not growl and lose sanity either. A few times he's released himself just at the sight of us."

"How long has this been the case?"

"Since the start, a couple of months ago. Except one time…"

"What do you mean?"

"Giving him space and time alone seems to keep him calm. However, one of our staff came to feed him. It's difficult in itself to feed a child that can't stay conscious long enough to eat, but it's another thing when that child attacks you. Surveillance cameras went black for about five minutes. When they came back, the staff member was dead."

"Dead? Come now, are you suggesting that this infantile human could have done it?"

"The man-child seems to have a dormant power… Upon entering the room, we found a gaping wound in our staff member's chest and a coating of blood on the man-child's arm. I'll never forget the look in his eyes. They looked luminescent."

"Luminescent?"

"Yes. I believe that our DNA may have done something to his physiology. Whatever it may have been, there is a hidden strength in him triggered by our presence. This could be a strategic key to victory on the battlefield; especially now since _they _have been growing ever restless lately."

"I know they have. I want you to cease injections. Keep a close eye on his development."

"Cease injections? We're so close… It won't be long before—"

"I know. I know… But I cannot endanger innocent life for the sake of our military."

"But think of all the innocent life that will be lost should _they_ strike again. Especially after K-2L."

"This is something I've already weighed out… The hatchling… How is she?"

"Physically, her body seems to be developing at a regular pace. Her strength however is extraordinary, overshadowed only by her sharp wit."

"When will she be able join our military?"

"Soon sir, soon. Long live the Alliance."


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10**

Samus stared Drake down. She'd killed so many before. Her training in the Alliance hardened her and further in the Federation, she became rigid and inexorable. She was more a man than most men could even hope to be, and with just a single motion of her finger, it'd be all over—such a simple thing to do. This is what she was told was best. This is what she was taught. This is what she was engineered to be.

A tear.

A single tear.

A salt and water byproduct of human emotion.

Dripped in a line down her face.

Another followed its course on the other side.

So why… Why was this so hard for her? She'd never thought twice about killing her target before; never had it been such a lachrymose thought. She grit her teeth and clenched her fist at her own weakness, struggling and fighting just to do it. Only an effortless movement was required. Such a little thing became laborious and intensely difficult. Her jaw tightened and her face twisted as she fought with something she would never admit to having, not after Adam.

Attachment.

A fondness for Drake had nestled itself away in her heart. A soft spot held her back. Burning inside, she hated herself for involving her emotions. Worse yet, she knew she hadn't intentionally grown close to him, meaning she had been caught off-guard. Such things were beyond dangerous on the field, they were fatal. Despite what she knew, despite the logic, she fought a losing battle with herself.

It was already too late. She just couldn't do it. The heat and glow of the gun diminished. Samus lowered her arm and looked away, livid with disappointment. She had failed. She knew she was to kill the man-child if ever she met him. Not that he was evil or bad, but a weapon like him needed to be rid of. Falling into the wrong hands would be disastrous.

But…

A single, silly word that occupied her mind.

Why…

Another doubt and another thread of the fabric came undone as she questioned her reasoning. _Why should he die? _She wondered. _He did nothing wrong except be himself. He never asked for this. I never asked for it either, so why should I live on and yet deny him that very same opportunity?_

"Well now…" Phantoon wafted toward her. "…isn't this a surprise." Samus looked it straight in the eye, her self-loathing turning to defiance. "Why couldn't you do it?"

"Why should I have to? What reason is there to justify his death?"

"You know what your caretakers said."

"My caretakers are dead. The Chozo race is nothing more than a faint glimmer of the chivalrous people it used to be. Drake and I will carry on the legacy, together."

"Well Drake…? What do you have to say to that?"

Drake hadn't moved and inch. His eyes trailed Phantoon, gazing through him more than at him. To say something after all that almost seemed silly.

"Those that fashioned me want me dead. Do they really hate me that much…?"

With a swirl, the blue turned almost white. Soft reverberations sounded in the room. Was Phantoon laughing? Its one eyelid closed a moment, opening again to a warm expression.

"Hate was never a part of it, Drake."

"Yeah? Could've fooled me…"

"These events were fashioned by the Chozo. When you were small, you were found to have a tremendous dormant power. That power has since been locked away tightly inside you. Tell me… Do you ever sometimes hear things that no one else does?"

Drake's eyes widened. No one had heard them before, yet this creature knew?

"When…I was little, I would sometimes hear whispers or the sound of calling voices in the distance. They only lasted a few moments, so I passed it off as hearing things but…"

"But when you came here…" Phantoon continued Drake's sentence. "…you felt a deeper awakening, didn't you?"

"Yes. The voices were nearly coherent. And when I met Torizo the flood of them was overwhelming."

"As it should be. When you were returned to your parents, you were given one last treatment to ensure that your power was not released by accident. In turn, a Chozo—the very trigger of your power—became the very thing that suppressed it."

"So you're saying that a Chozo is what awakens my power and puts it back to sleep?"

"Not quite, Drake. The power you have is special. Your psyche is far more tied to a Chozo than was originally thought. Those Chozo thought you to be a failure, but too soon realized that you were a glaring success. So successful in fact, that you were a danger. They needed a way to keep you under control until the time was right. Though a Chozo's mind will awaken your power, a Chozo's presence will also cause insanity."

"So that explains it…" Samus interjected.

"His unconsciousness when you met the Torizo, correct?"

"Yes… I didn't think he would make it."  
"Do not worry, Hatchling. He was intended to be this way."  
"But why then… Why didn't I awaken his power? Or cause insanity?"

"Though a half-blood, your mind is still human, Samus. More than that, your blood quelled the Chozo DNA. It was assimilated into your being. Drake's blood however rages against the DNA. His body fights it. Doesn't it Drake? You know what I meant… How it burns."

Drake closed his eyes and took a breath. The sensation was growing ever more vibrant. It was almost uncomfortable.

"Yes… Is this my calling?"

"Calling? Don't put your faith in fate. This is what you were created to be. Accept it and forge your own path. You don't have purpose because of who you are. You're who you are because you have purpose. You've come a long way in life and have come of age. Are you ready to embrace what you were created to be?"

"Embrace…it?"

"Are you ready to awaken that burn inside of you?"

"Wait, Phantoon." Samus interjected. Phantoon eyed her askance. "This is dangerous."

"Blame yourself. You didn't kill him." Her eyes thinned in disdain. "Besides… This is his choice now. You wanted him here, and here he is. Wouldn't Adam be proud?" Phantoon gave a smug expression at his biting sarcasm. "It's time, Drake. You're fully grown now and the time has come for you to make your decision."

"Okay… I'm ready." he answered with a deep, held breath.

The blue cloud around him slowly and softly drifted in reverberating patterns like sea waves. Samus and the ghostly figure with her both swirled and distorted into a blur. Sounds drowned away and the clouded field of view gave birth to small wisps. Small licks of flame crested the tops of these forms as they descended around Drake in a delightful floatation.

Great and small tufts of these blue fires fell from up above with indiscernible origin. Some landed upon Drake, but while their flames tasted of his armor, there was no burn. No smoke emanated and no combustion occurred. Their fanciful glow and motion almost warmed his heart. It was a gentle sensation and touched him from the inside. A comforting, drawing heat relaxed his muscles and his mind, letting a calm drift over him.

Flame after flame fell like bluish snow, intensifying the warmth flowing through him. With each passing moment, the sensation grew stronger and the lovely warmth bred healthy passion. As the fire burned, so did his insides, teeming with energy. Blood rushing, a tingly prickling crawled under the tips of his fingers and toes. An exotic surge sent burning chills down his back and goosebumps formed on his arms.

Breathing became unnatural though it felt as if his heart were racing from his chest. He felt increasingly anxious, finding it difficult to focus his eyes. Opening his mouth to speak, no sound came out. Could he no longer hear? Or maybe he could no longer speak. Whichever the case, this surrealism grew discomforting.

Drake grit his teeth, the rapidly growing intensity grated on his nerves. The flood in him left him disoriented and the feelings assailing his distorted senses were bewildering. After a soundless growl of aggravation, the blue fires seemed to diminish. The swirling slowed a little and soft hushed voices encompassed him. A deep sense of nostalgia followed, faint glimmers of images of his childhood just barely touching on his mind's eye. Memories he had suppressed and tucked away flowed easily once again, gripping his emotions.

His entire being had been displaced. Physically, he was no longer able to sense properly. All his body could understand was this powerful flow of something inside him. Mentally, he couldn't comprehend the images and things around him. Emotionally, he was crumbling with each passing second. Nothing sensible could be made of this experience. _Is this what it's like to be a Chozo?_ He wondered.

A gentle sound reached his ear. It reverberated in a low and short resonance: a call of some sort. After a moment, it sounded again. Attempting to hear it better, Drake tilted his head. Again, he heard it; music, perhaps? It was slurred and washed-out, making it nearly imperceptible. Nostalgia tugged him even deeper, pushing him to follow the sound.

Staggering forward, aimlessly, he tried to meet the source emanating from somewhere in the blur of blue around him. He put his hand out forward, feeling nothing, but reaching for something. As he moved, glimpses of familiar outlines formed and faded. The calling seemed to follow the apparitions.

Voices. The sounds were voices.

Drake closed his eyes, cringing to concentrate and focus on the sound. While it was the only thing he could hear, to discern it was another matter altogether. It led him onward, stumbling deeper into this blue that had accompanied Phantoon's manifestation. More and more, those outlines became clearer. Facial features became apparent, and a bodily figure. Two humans. He almost thought he could see Samus there and another person. A man. His eyes thinned, trying to focus. Arms and legs took form, the torsos following. The voices grew clearer too.

"Tsssshhrrrrrrraaaaaaaaake." Warped and suppressed, as if behind closed doors.

He knew the tone. Those voices were an integral piece of his past. The clearer each call became, so became the lofty forms in the view before him. He walked toward and reached for them, but with each step, their distance remained the same. An attractive woman became apparent with long, flowing hair, and a trim figure. The other figure was a thin male, somewhat tall.

"…r……ak…e…" they called again. Drake's heart wrenched, choking back welling emotion. Their forms became even more obvious as their voices became clearer. Each time they called, young Starlight could feel his stomach jump and the rush of fire and flow of emotion peak. It hurt. The sensations ached within him, yet with each call they made, he felt his drive for them grow.

"…Dra…ke…"

His eyes moistened. This was too unbearable. How could he be subject to such a cruel torture, he wondered.

"You… you can't be!" He yelled to the figures, finally snapping. "You're dead!"

Finally, their forms came to full fruition, stepping almost clearly from the blue mist. A wave flashed from them, quenching the cloud and leaving the three in nothing but white.

"Drake." the man called.

"…Dad…mom."


End file.
